Harmony Lives
by joy lauriers
Summary: During the end of fourth year, Harry Potter begins to feel an unexplainable pain. He has no idea that he is going through puberty, and that he, to his grave dismay, is actually female. See how one chromosome alters the HP world. FemHarry X Draco
1. Chapter 1 Pain

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter One the Pain

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the _Harry Potter_ characters; they belong to J.K. Rowling

Thanks for reading.

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The heat of the night billowed through the open window, and Harry sprawled atop his four poster bed. He had that dream again, of when he was squeezed and tied, with Cedric dead at his feet. His body was tired, blanched with cold, as if he were there again. He assumed that was why the pain began.

In the dark he could make out the few pieces of furniture, and he forced himself not to think of any graveyard. Before he could wish that it had been him instead in the dirt, a sudden wave of nausea racked his body. Harry grinned and sighed all too soon as it subsided to a dull pain, concentrating in his lower stomach.

It ended in a light tickle that itched his chest and abdominal muscles. He frowned as he placed a hand there, thinking that he had not grown a smidgen since turning fourteen. The likely hood of some miraculous growth spurt was almost a sick joke for him. Ron was already towering over him, and he could have sworn that he had even shrunk a bit. Just thinking of his body sent another tremor of itchiness. He would have laughed if not for the onslaught of cramps.

He settled a lone hand to probe the area. His waist felt slimmer to his touch, and his muscles less defined, to his great displeasure. Though he would never truly be fat, the muscles had given him an extra weight, and he could never tolerate being soft. Fate had cursed him to be small, courteous of the Dursley's regiment of malnutrition to his diet, and puberty worked no magic for him yet.

Though exhausted, Ron's snores and his mind's habitual course to depression would unsurprisingly keep him up again. Not wanting to spend a fruitless night tossing and imprisoned, he silently crawled to the end of his bed where his trunk lay. Harry didn't bother with changing, and he slid into his shoes, secured his wand, and draped the invisibility cloak over his head. The alarm read 3:42 and he withdrew from the room with the little light that issued from the window as his solemn guide.

Harry had a faint idea of where he wanted to go as he walked with his wand tip lit. He wanted to see if his weird pain syndrome could be listed in at least one of the books in the library. He knew he could not go to Hermione, for her nagging and fussing would surely make him instantly regret telling her. Harry breathed in the faint smell of old pages as he passed rows and rows of fat books. The cloak fell to the floor in his excitement. He hastily checked over the medical section. He wondered if he perhaps ate one of Fred and George's unfinished candies, but knew such affects would be temporary. No one had either hexed him recently, not even a simple itching spell to annoy him. They all probably thought it best to leave him be since the Triwizard tournament, four days ago, though some of them looked as if they wanted to call him a liar and hex him down for announcing Voldemort's return.

A yellow volume with gold lining caught his eye. He passed it though when he saw its title, _Wizard Addictions and Overdoses_. Reaching out for a tattered green book titled _Wizards and their Little Problems_, he leafed through the appendix. If anything the title amused him for he did have an affinity for short things, being one himself. He felt glad to note that there was a chapter on growing, puberty, and such, but kept going to see if there was anything for his specific symptoms.

He vaguely could recall the horrors of Health class in the muggle schooling, but even that could not answer the question of his retarded growth and lack of puberty. The human body seemed like a foreign subject for there were no classes on it offered, at least that he knew of.

A ripple of syncope shrouded his body, and he bent over his stomach, slipping the book from his grasp. Parts of him felt like ice had radiated and burned to his very cells, as if a dementor had touched him. His tendons and ligaments stiffened like bark on a tree, while his throat constricted, barely allowing him to gasp for breath. The pain took over his senses, blurring his sight, and at last his head thudded against the floor.

Harry did not feel the hands that gripped his shoulder. He could not see the figure that knelt beside him. He would not be able to recall that he had been carried away. Even though the pain numbed his senses, he felt the warmth much like that of an embrace.

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end of Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2 the Plan

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer:** If I were JK Rowling I would know how to spell. _Hairy Potter_ belongs to her.

Chapter 2 the Plan

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Draco Malfoy gave his smug smirk that he knew the girls swooned over. Pansy predictably latched to his side and admired the way the torch light melted with his hair and cast mysterious shadows along his face, or so he believed. Ever since Cedric's death, Draco most certainly claimed to be the most sought after male in Hogwarts, disregarding Potter of course (and the sexy beast Severus Snape….*cough*).

Though he loved all the attention from the ladies, he could not find one he fancied. They bored him, resembled miscellaneous animals, or were fake in his eyes. A sigh escaped his lips as he once again had to pry Pansy's hot pink nails from his much abused arm. They rounded a corner and neared the Great Hall. "Pansy," he tried, "not while I'm walking, I don't want to trip and-" The door to the dinning hall swept open and the boy wonder brushed past him without so much as an apology. "Watch it Potter," he warned.

Harry glanced up at him and muttered what Draco assumed to be an apology and continued on. To Draco, Harry appeared waxy and almost in pain, but he could honestly care less. In fact, Draco grinned as he thought that Potter deserved it. What, with how everyone practically worshiped Pott, and how he didn't have to do anything to gain his fame, well except for surviving a lethal curse. The whole Gryffindor righteousness and Potter's disgustingly high and mighty hero complex was- well, disgusting.

He opened the large doors and made his entrance knowing more than one pair of eyes followed his movements. Gracefully sitting at his designated spot he gladly began his succulent turkey roast dinner. Finishing his meal off with a custard delectable, he returned to his room in the Slytherin House. Draco had gotten a letter from his father who was in need of a certain one of a kind dark arts book in the restricted section of the library. Due to his impending Prefect status (in other words due to the fact that he practically owned all of the current prefects- such was their desire to stay on Malfoy's good side), he knew that it was best to venture out at two in the morning, right after Professor Snape retired to his bed chamber.

It was close to the end of the year, so few professors had assigned last minute essays. He had one Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment, involving magical sprouting creatures, that he much rather put off. Setting his wand to wake him up later, he closed his eyes for a nap.

"Shite," Draco whispered before silencing the door shut. It was well into three and he cursed the dungeons for the lack of proper window light. He lit his wand with a whispered _Lumos_. It took roughly twelve minutes to walk to the library, and another five to get in. Unfortunately, he rarely went into the library considering his private home collection far exceeded that of the school's, and he never had been in the restricted section since he probably owned those too. Well except for the one his father wanted.

The bookshelves loomed over his head in menacing columns while the darkness encompassed the endlessly large room. He figured that the restricted section would be in the very back, but before he could explore, he heard a curious noise. He turned in the direction and lauded his bravery only to take a step and fall on his face. "Oww, bloody wanker," he said and looked for the object that tripped him. It was a pile of silvery fabric, embroidered with a curious set of geometric patterns. Someone just had to leave it right where anyone could trip over it. He was instantly glad no one witnessed such a humiliation.

Draco knew that someone was in the room, and he would totally take house points off for being out at such a late hour, because whoever it was had indirectly tripped him and thereby insulted the respectable Malfoy name. He grudgingly picked up the silky cloth when he heard another noise.

He passed three more shelves where he beheld the most beautiful sight he ever witnessed in his short almost fifteen years of life; Harry Potter on the floor writhing in agony. Harry' eyes were shut, teeth clenched issuing no sound, except for the occasional chorus of pain. Draco actually wished Collin camera boy was there, and something in the back of his mind was playing Beethoven's Fifth. Potter was at the end of his mercy, and Draco could not help but smirk a bit as he watched the boy wonder twitch.

"Look at the boy who lived now… are those tears I see?" Malfoy whispered in glee. But there was something missing from this triumphant moment. Of course, an audience made everything better, someone at least to share the laugh. Draco felt his face fall as he wondered what to do with the body. He sighed a bit; Potter was just so vulnerable and easy to humiliate, but it would be too easy. He wanted so badly to win and be better, to have Potter boy grovel at his feet. No, Draco had to beat him when Potter was a bit more aware, even if he had to cheat to do it. He still had to get the dark book though, it was a difficult choice, but all great men have to make choices.

Draco could leave him and just drape Harry's silver blankie around his prone body, and the librarian could find him the proper way, or he may be tempted to pull some amazing prank that would be left in legends.

Wait of course; Draco knew the answer so well, if he could somehow learn Potty's weakness, then he could win. He would take Potter to Madame Pomfrey, spy from afar and learn of his afflictions in detail. It was positively brilliant. He had been told when he smiled, on those rare occasions, that he looked angelic. He was smiling at that moment, but the darkness contorted his face into something a bit sinister; a shame really. He stared at the whimpering Potter and wondered if he was dangerously close to playing the hero for once. But Potter would never know.

Draco got to his knees to figure out how to carry Harry Potter. He obviously could not give a piggy back ride, for any drool stain would be an embarrassment. He crossed off the possibility of dragging the boy because then the nurse would suspect him of hurting Potter. He brought one hand to rest on Potter's head and the other on his shoulder to give one last desperate shake to wake him up. "Potter, Potter!" he called halfheartedly. Wonder boy's head rolled to the side and the fruitless effort stressed Draco. He was not used to helping others.

Draco dropped his wand to the ground and brushed dark hair away to check Potter's temperature. The touch radiated a burning heat and Draco lifted an eyebrow as he looked at Potter. The dorky glasses had come off and it was like looking at him for the first time. Draco could make out the scar that contrasted against the blanched skin, the eyelashes that were much too long for a boy, and the slightly parted full lips that just made him want to laugh at how ridiculous Potter was. Even Potter's skin was soft and smooth, and Draco shook his head. No way should a boy look so effeminate. Sure Draco knew that he himself had devilishly good looks proving that someone up there loved him more than those common peasants, but at least that someone had gotten his dishy looks with his gender right.

Draco put one arm around the smaller teen's upper back, and the other under the knees and lifted. Potter was impossibly light, probably weighing less than any girl he knew. It was almost comical that this kid was the savior of all the wizards and witches. Draco even had the courtesy to bring along Potter's possessions as he walked towards Madam Pomfrey's medic wing. He tried not to think of who was in his arms, or of how that someone's head rested against his chest. Potter's pain seemed to have died down, and the boy relaxed into the arms that carried him, as if he never had been held before.

Draco reached the Medic wing and shifted Potter's weight to one arm while opening the door. "Madam Pomfrey," he called out. A light poured out from under a door and a woman with the official wand and phoenix medical badge came out.

"Hello dear, is something the matter?" Pomfrey said as she strode past rows of house-elf clean medical beds. She stopped, taking in the scene of a very unconscious Harry Potter, carried in the arms of a very conflicted looking Draco Malfoy. (It was a good thing Draco did not bring Harry in ten minutes earlier, spasmodically twitching with his eyes rolled back) "Good heavens!"

"Yes it's Potter, I mean Harry Potter. I found him passed out in the halls." Madame Pomfrey frowned at the prompt and hardly believable story.

"I have to get back, and I would appreciate it if you don't say I brought him here." Draco said in a tone that declared a need to protect the cold Malfoy legacy.

"Yes, thank you dear, of course." Madame Pomfrey said, even more suspicious at the gentle manner with which Malfoy placed Harry Potter on a hospital bed. And the sudden manner by which he left. Draco's plans of spying were forgotten for now. What in the world was he doing, voluntarily touching Potter?

* * *

After breakfast, Draco found himself once again outside the door to the hospital wing, repeating to himself over and over that it was to see if he could learn Potter's weakness. He was unable to hear any of Dumbledore's solemn tale, but he could certainly hear Potter boy.

"I'M A BLOODY WHAT?" Harry screeched. More incoherent words were shouted with frustration.

Draco knew he was getting to the juicy part, and being a Malfoy he had been brought up to identify perfect opportunities to screw people over. He needed to know what Potter actually was, if he ever wanted to get to stage two of blackmail. Unfortunately at that exact moment the door shut itself. Draco could picture a certain bloody blue twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes, and at that moment would gladly blast apart and blind all senile wizards from here to Durmstrang. No one gets in a Malfoy's way.

* * *

End of chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3 the Prophecy

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, I am just borrowing them. Don't tell JK ;)

Chapter 3: the Prophecy

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Harry felt something amiss before being fully awakened. For one, blinding white had replaced the familiar red and gold, secondly Ron's snore could not be heard, and lastly there was an unblinking old man watching him sleep. He would have been completely freaked, but he knew that this old man had no hidden motives or intentions for him.

The headmaster Dumbledore smiled when he noticed the green eyes staring back at him. Harry blinked and slowly rubbed his eyes when they widened. He could see perfectly and his glasses were on the counter on top of his cloak. He looked at Dumbledore questionably. "Er. Professor, What's going on?"

Dumbledore's smile fell a fraction as he knew what was to come would be painful. "Good morning Harry, are you hungry?" Harry gave him a pointed stare, even though he did feel a bite might do him good. "Well a student found you and fortunately brought you here." Harry felt that the headmaster was hiding something, something very horrid. "How have you been these past few days?"

"Fine," Harry replied "except for the fact that I'm here, though I don't know why." Harry felt fear envelope his mind as he pictured all of the possibilities for his pain. If Dumbledore was there then it must be Voldemort related. Harry shivered as he thought of how Voldemort violated him by taking his blood in the graveyard. "Tell me, is there something wrong with me."

"Harry, there is a time for many young adolescents, when their bodies start changing." One of Harry's eyebrows rose since he heard that line before, and he did not want to hear it from a shriveled old man. "It is perfectly normal for boys to start growing hair in new places and girls to start menstruating and developing. Are you following me, Harry?" Harry gaped at Dumbledore. No way was the other man serious. Sure Harry wasn't much grown and still looked like he was twelve, but he was not completely ignorant.

"So have you started to bleed yet?"

"Excuse me, but what?" Horror filled Harry's face. This old man really was off his trolley. Unless male wizards were different than muggle boys, Harry was totally lost.

"Oh, so it hasn't started yet." Dumbledore looked troubled, as if he had discovered that the very lost lemon drop in his jaw had dissipated.

"What hasn't started professor?"

"You're going through puberty Harry." Harry's breathing quickened, was he finally going to be tall and manly. Harry felt a ghost of a smile tickle his lips and he almost wanted to jump with joy. No more would the guys push him around for being small, and maybe he could finally get a date. He was getting his big break. His life was going to be so much better.

"And….you will soon be a girl." Dumbledore say _what?_

"Ha ha, professor, you mixed up the whole speech and gave me the girl version of the talk." Harry waited for Dumbledore to laugh and say some funny thing, like 'oh that's right, you are a boy, I totally forgot'. Harry was getting desperate when no such response came.

"I am really sorry Harry." Dumbledore stopped for a moment. Harry put his hand to his chest to see if he was growing anything, and fortunately his hand felt his flat chest. Okay, so Dumbledore finally became raving bonkers.

"There is a reason why you are the boy who lived and it goes beyond that of your mother's love that saved you. When you were born I told James and Lily to be wary of Voldemort and to not tell anyone about you but those closest to the family. I also urged them to keep your real gender hidden too. Harry you really are biologically a girl. I will tell you the full story in my office since this isn't the place of secrecy" Dumbledore looked away from Harry, but not before he could see the man's eyes shining and the seriousness etched in his features. Harry was at a loss for words; for like two seconds, when it hit him in the face.

"I'm a bloody WHAT?" Harry couldn't say female, instead he voiced his distress in what sounded like the mating calls of a hippogryph. He was seething mad and could not find any objects to hurtle around. He meant to spring up and strangle the headmaster, but his yelling alerted Madame Pomfrey who forced the headmaster out, much to Dumbledore's relief and Harry's annoyance. "That's not right come back and explain it to me." Harry tried to say nicely, in order to convince the elder man that he was in control of his emotions, but failed miserably.

"I'll come back when you are feeling better, and we can talk more in my office." He retreated faster than Harry thought possible for an old man. Harry continued to grumble even during the nurse's rapid assessment, and he was utterly brassed off. He accepted the food given to him, ripped at it and angrily masticated the food when a wave of nausea forced him to slow down.

It couldn't be real. It was preposterous. He hoped beyond anything that Dumbledore would saunter in and laugh like it was some big joke. But the headmaster didn't come back. It was so unfair, his whole life was one screwed up disaster after another. He wished the tears (he told himself that they were manly tears of anger) that clung to his eyelids would drop dead in their tracks. He could not tell Ron or Hermione about this, at least not yet. They would not understand and he did not want their pity. How could he face the world, with all of its expectations and succeed? He would never be the boy who lived, no girl would date him now, and he was to be a sodding girl!

"Harry?" Harry turned to find that Hermione and Ron had snuck up on him, and immediately he wiped his eyes. No way would they find out that he was somehow a girl. "Are you alright?" Of course not, he was blatantly in there for a reason.

"Yea, I'm fine, just the whole stress with Cedric and Voldermort is really bringing me down." Harry lied through his teeth, but he knew they would buy it. Hermione instantly responded by wrapping her arms around him and he stiffened a bit.

"Oh, Harry," she whispered. He felt bad for lying, but he would tell them when he had come to terms with it. He didn't particularly like her contact just then, especially with Ron practically having a heart attack from Hermione's affectionate gesture towards him.

"Thanks guys." Hermione let go of him and they continued to stare at him.

"You look a bit different Harry." Ron piped out. Harry's eye almost twitched, but he forced a smile.

"Oh, my glasses got a bit scratched up when I woke up, so I can manage." He desperately hoped that Hermione would not offer to fix them.

"Why didn't you ask for my help, if you were feeling so ill?"

"Ron, you wouldn't wake up if I shouted at you that there was a fire, plus you were sleeping so soundly I honestly thought I would be all right if I got some fresh air."

"Harry, exactly where were you when you felt ill?"

"Uh, just walking around the halls when I felt dizzy."

"How did you get here?" It was Ron that time, they were on to something.

"I don't really know how, I just woke up here." They both looked skeptical at his response. "Don't you guys have some more classes?"

Hermione gasped and checked the time before grabbing Ron's hand and saying a quick goodbye and that she would return later. Harry couldn't help but laugh at Ron's happy face at holding hands with her. He did feel better that they came, and hoped that Dumbledore would return. Madame Pomfrey came back into the room when she saw that the visitors had left.

"Who brought me here when I was out?" Harry asked her as she rechecked his temperature.

"Oh, he told me not to tell. You would be surprised at who it was anyway." _Strange_.

"Well if he comes back, tell him thanks for me." She nodded and mysteriously smiled as she worked some more.

Harry thankfully didn't have to wait long for Dumbledore to return and told the headmaster that he felt well enough to make it to his office. True to his word he made it to the weird gargoyle statue.

"Lucky Charms Cereal," Dumbledore whispered loud enough for Harry to hear the password. He looked at the boy and winked, "they're magically delicious." The spiral staircase appeared and they both made it up to his office. Dumbledore gestured towards the comfy chair in front of his desk and also sat down. "Now, what I tell you should not be repeated in case it falls to the wrong ears."

"What about Ron and Hermione, I can trust them with my life."

"Only if you chose to, but remember James and Lily had faith in Peter. They may also be subjected to torture if the enemy found out about what I am to tell you." Harry gulped, anticipating many answers. "I first thought that you were too young, and needed to be happy, but now I see the threat of Voldemort's return may put you in extreme danger. I care for you so much that I wanted to shield you from all the suffering. You have already faced him multiple times and I am afraid there will be more burdens to fall on you. I trust that you are calm enough." Harry nodded, afraid that Dumbledore would change his mind and refuse to tell.

"Shortly before the time of your birth there was a prophecy made, and only I know its full contents. Voldemort found out about it, but not all of it. He wanted to kill you before you were to become a great threat. I am certain that he desperately wants the entire prophecy, and that is why it will be hard to tell your friends. He wants the knowledge of how to defeat you. I believe that you are ready to hear it now. In a room above the bar of the Hog's Head Inn I was seeing an applicant for the post of Divination." He took out his pensieve and with his wand withdrew his memory into the basin, instead of going into the memory, he tapped it with his wand and the figure of Sybill Trelawney emerged.

"'_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month die…._'"

Professor Trelawney soon vanished below and they were both were silent.

"Professor Dumbledore, what does the prophecy mean?" And why did it involve him being female?

"It meant that the one with the only chance to subdue Lord Voldemort was born at the end of July, nearly fifteen years ago, whose parents had already defied him three times."

"But it made it sound like it was to be a boy, and apparently I'm a girl."

"Yes, but Voldemort did not hear that far. That was why I asked your parents not to tell of your birth or gender to just anyone. I was unsure if the prophecy would apply to you, since you were a girl, and because there was another with similar circumstances, Neville Longbottom."

"Then it should have been Neville," Harry tried.

"No, Harry it is you," Dumbledore said downcast eyes. "Lord Voldemort chose you, and marked you as his equal; you the half-blood like himself, and not Neville the pureblood. He thought you would bring the most danger."

"Why didn't he wait to see then, to see if he had chosen correctly?"

"Harry, Voldemort only had the first part of the prophecy, the part that there would be a child born at the end of July to parents who faced and lived three times against him. He did not know there was danger by trying to kill you, that he would be transferring his power to you, or that you would have 'power that the Dark Lord knows not'."

"What power? He is so much more powerful and ruthless."

"You do, Harry" Dumbledore almost pleaded. "It is in your heart; all the emotions that he cannot stand, to love someone, and to be compassionate towards one enough to sacrifice for them. Voldemort knows not of those things."

"Does it matter that I am a girl, with the prophecy?"

"I used to think it did, but now I realize that the gender was not the important part, but what makes the prophecy substantial is you Harry. What you have become. You have a choice to act and save these people, it's a lot to ask for and do."

_What choice_? "Then why am I still a boy, what did you do to me?"

"No one besides me knew that you were born a girl because I advised your parents not to tell. Friends and others who knew of you all assumed you were male. When Voldemort attacked, and killed James and Lily, I selfishly wanted you to become the one in the prophecy. I wanted you to be the savior, at any cost. I had asked Professor Snape to make me a powerful potion that slowed down the start of your growth, and would delay the onset of your puberty. When Hagrid brought you to me, alone I fed you the potion and with the strongest magic of its art, I made you into the illusion that you were a boy, so strong that it was like you were never a girl to begin with. This magic is integrated in your blood and is dangerous on people well past puberty because it switches their gender and strains the body, but not on children. I made it so that it would be reversed when you would begin puberty. I tried at first to believe that you would also be safer as a boy and stronger too, but that was just a sad attempt to justify myself." Dumbledore had the mind to look ashamed of his actions. They were both silent for awhile.

"How long was the potion to last?" Harry asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

"At maximum till you would be twenty. You would also regrettably be much less developed than others your age." This didn't make sense.

"Then why have I changed back?"

"The blood that Voldemort took from you had been infused with that magic and he took parts of it with him, along with the shield that your mother gave to protect you.

"I cannot stay as a boy?" It was a desperate question that made her thoughts burn as Dunbledore shook his head to indicate no. "What the hell? What am I supposed to do?"

"Professor Snape can make a counter potion that will negate the effects." Dumbledore noticed Harry's defectiveness. "I know that you find it hard to trust him, but I believe in him, I would entrust him with my very life." Harry looked into his eyes and there was only remorse that reflected back at him.

"I am so sorry Harry, I know that it will take along time to forgive me if you ever do."

Harry said nothing, even as the old man looked broken in defeat. How could he? Harry narrowed his eyes.

Dumbledore was human, and thus fallible. But this was madness. "Harry, your parents before they passed away, they didn't name you Harry, I just used that to fit with your illusion. They named you Harmony."

* * *

End of chapter three


	4. Chapter 4 Potions

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer**: Harry and all of the other _Harry Potter_ characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Chapter 4: Potions**

* * *

The afternoon classes had ended and many of the students lazed about outdoors. There were four more days of schooling until they would be going home for summer break. That was only four more days to learn Potter's secret. Draco desperately wanted to know. He stood outside his favorite teacher's office wondering how to go about and persuade him to obtain that book.

"Professor Snape?" Draco asked sweetly, knocking on the door adjacent to the potions class.

"Yes, what is it?" Came the reply after the door opened. The potions master was hunched over a cauldron that smelled suspiciously like turnips. His black eyes never left the potion.

"Well, my father is in need of a certain dark arts book in the restricted section on the library, so I was wondering if you could, uh, help me acquire it." One of Snape's eyebrows raised a smidgen.

"And he cannot buy it himself?"

"Well of course we have the money; it's just that Hogwarts has like the only remaining copy." Draco sounded slightly offended. He went a bit closer to the potion in order to see its contents. He had never seen a potion with that ghastly orange hue before.

"I'll see if I can get it later, just leave the title on my desk." Draco gave his thanks and left the room. He wondered what to do next; he had enough time to terrorize some first year Hufflepuffs and practice some new hexes. He continued to roam the halls particularly in the direction of the medic wing, till to his dismay he caught wind of Weasley and the infuriating Mudblood. He wondered if they hooked up or something, a perfect couple in his opinion; a mudblood with a muggle loving disgrace. They were heading towards Potter, but he needed a way to spy on him too. He slowly came to a halt as a brilliant idea forced a smug smile to grace his lips. He knew he was amazing for a reason.

He went back to the Slytherin common room to find Crabbe and Goyle who were essential for his plan. He knew that they could only be in five places. The dinning hall to eat, the Slytherin common room to chill, outside to beat up the disrespectful first and second years, the bathroom to give those brats a nice dunking in the toilets, and the library. Well not in the traditional sense to read books, like they could anyway, but to find worthy Gryffindors to teach valuable lessons. Considering the time of day, he figured they had their fill of Hufflepuffs and were in the Slytherin house.

When Draco made his entrance to the common room he made out the two imposing figures. "Crabbe, Goyle!" he called out, they came to his side at once and smiled.

"Guess what we did today!" Goyle raised his hand as if to be called on.

"Yes." Draco thought he might as well humor them.

"We were, we were…in the re-uh."

"Sound it out." Draco encouraged.

"Crabbe, do you remember?"

"I think we cornered Longbottom and spilled ink all over his bags."

"No that was yesterday." They both had constipated looks on their faces and Draco figured he would spare them the trouble.

"Goyle, Crabbe, I need you to do something for me, do you think you can?" Both of their heads bobbled yes. "I need you to hit me with-." A second passed as Crabbe wondered what that meant. Goyle though knew what hit meant and decided to act on his instincts. His fist collided with Draco's jaw. He went down immediately.

"Shite, not my face you daft ape!" Draco brought a hand to his throbbing jaw. Okay he needed a new plan, and one that didn't involve as much pain.

"But you said-"

"I don't care what I said, never do that," Draco took a few moments to regain his footing, oh his poor beautiful face. "You guys know any good hexes that look really bad and don't hurt, but take a couple of days to heal?" They started at him blankly and he signed.

"I know a good one Draco." He looked over and Theodore Nott gave him a wicked grin. "It's called the Curse of the Septicemic plague."

Draco looked quizzical "sounds fatal."

"Only to muggles," Theodore smirked, "this curse only produces the symptoms and will disappear in a day or two."

"Does it hurt?" Draco asked.

"Only a bit at first," Theodore rose to his feet from the comfortable armchair, "I'll do it free of charge too." Draco smiled and nodded, but when the curse hit his stomach, he felt something wrong. His skin was clammy and he his stomach was nauseous.

"If you are wrong Theodore, you are so dead." Theodore just laughed and continued to read whatever book he had in his hands. Draco's legs were already weak, and he motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to be his walking sticks. Draco's eye sight began to get blurry and a headache pounded in his head. He didn't know how long he walked for before he felt like collapsing.

"Draco Malfoy, what is the matter with you?" Professor Snape asked but Draco couldn't tell if it was the Snape on his right or the Snape on his left that asked. His response though was to vomit all over Goyle who looked positively disgusted. He heard Snape ordering Crabbe to carry him, and Goyle was dismissed to everyone's relief.

The next thing Draco knew was that he was on a bed and in the worst pain he had ever experienced in his life. This was a hundreds times worse than when that mad hippogryph nearly took his life. His skin felt like it was burning alive and worse was the vomit that just wouldn't stop. The fever had wrapped his mind delirious and he gladly took whatever the nurse was offering. He could just barely make out what was happening around him, and voices echoed like bugs in his ears.

"What is wrong with him?" He wanted to scream for it all to stop.

"Someone hexed him. Bad." Ugg, he hoped those weren't tears that fell from his eyes.

"Must have been those nasty Gryffindors, right Crabbe?" He knew that cutting voice was his dear and faithful Professor Snape.

"Er, I dunno, we found him like that." The potion started to activate in his system and he embraced the numbness that coursed through his veins. The endless blackness filled his mind and he allowed sleep to overcome his senses.

He awoke to the sun setting and casting black arms around the room. He nearly chocked when he saw purple spots on his arms, it didn't matter that they didn't hurt any more. He hoped that Theodore had been true to his word and that the pain was only at the beginning. Well Theodore was entitled for a beating regardless. Yes, one that would cast him into a coma, no, not a coma, he needed to feel the deadly pain.

Draco tested his extremities and smiled at their mobility. He checked the room once more and was glad to note that Madame Pomfrey was in her office. Potter's friends were not present either, perfect. He pushed himself to the end of the bed and allowed his feet to touch the cool tiles of the floor. He experimented with how much weight he could put on his legs and smiled when he stood triumphantly. He took a wobbly step towards the bed that had curtains around it. They though that would stop prying eyes, no Malfoy could be stopped, not even by curtains.

It took him a few moments, but he felt the success as he grasped the cotton cloth that surrounded the bed. With an anticipating smile he pushed back the curtain soundlessly. And there was Potter. He scrutinized the boy, and nearly cursed out loud when he saw nothing amiss.

"You're good Potter, but you can't hide from me." Draco whispered and chuckled a bit. He hastily brought the curtain in place when he heard footsteps and dragged his legs to his bed. The door clicked open and two figures passed him.

"So how is Harry?" Draco controlled his breathing to make it more even and natural. That was Dumbledore's voice.

"The potion has already taken effect and Harry will begin the metamorphosis by morning. He shouldn't get any visitors, but he will be fine, physically that is. That is to say she will be physically fine." Draco almost stopped breathing but continued to feign sleep. What was wrong with everyone, Harry's not a girl though that would be hilarious. Draco pictured Potter with those same round glasses, looking like a troll in a dress. He had to stop himself from laughing. "I would have never agreed to make that potion nearly fifteen years back if I had known its purpose."

"Yes, I have made a mistake. I caused Harry even more pain, too much for one child."

"There would be an outcry if the rest of the wizarding world knew. So much publicity is already on her, any more would make her ego explode." There was that cursed word again. What was Snape on anyway, too many fumes and no ventilation were bad for his health. He already had problems, but this just was pushing it.

"No one is to know, but you should get to know Harry, she isn't like what you think."

"He is James's kid and a pampered little prince…cess."

"Harry is also Lily's child, but I have done them all wrong." The room fell to a heavy silence. Okay, so Draco knew that Dumbledore was senile already, or at least suffering some mental disability, but if they both thought Harry was a girl, then something definitely was up.

"What about poppy, will she know too much?"

"I can trust Poppy, no one will harm her and she will not say a breath of it to anyone."

"Why not just relocate Harry before he turns."

"No, now is the best time, and no one will be allowed in."

"Who else is to know?"

"Besides Poppy, those who would know would be Minerva and Sirius."

"Potter won't tell?" Snape asked.

"I warned her of the consequences, but it is still her choice." Snape gave a little snort.

"Well I hope you both know what you're doing." Draco forced his body to relax as he heard the two moving closer to him. Unfortunately, they stopped by his bed. He was tempted to fake a snore, but he knew that no Malfoy would ever make such an obscene noise, even when in sleep; much too out of character, even if he was a brilliant actor.

"What is Draco in here for?" Dumbledore asked. He knew that if he opened his eyes a crack he would be able to see the stars twinkling in the vast blue depths.

"Got the Septicemic Plague Curse, and we don't know which student cast it."

"Ouch, he's going to be in pain for at least a week." Draco practically imagined Theodore's death that moment.

"He should be fine, the spell gradually wears off, and Poppy took out enough numbing potions to take down three bumbling muggles."

"Hmm, is that so? Haven't had those curses for a decade at least."

"That brings back good memories." Snape said in a peaceful tone. Draco wanted to open his eyes to see if Snape really was smiling with such a tone of voice. He had heard that Snape's smile made babies die, and grown men cry.

"Severus," Dumbledore half-heartedly chided, "that almost got you suspended for hexing James and Sirius with that curse." Draco now knew that Snape was indeed smiling, because he just knew that someone out there had committed suicide; that poor, poor soul.

"I'd better go now; I still can probably find a few students in the halls who need a nice clean berating." Draco felt an internal shudder. If mind raping was possible, Snape definitely mastered that art. How was he supposed to know if someone was probing his mind, that is just sick. Draco carefully controlled his breathing and made his mind blank. He was relieved when he heard the door close and Snape had disappeared into the darkness. Dumbledore though still lingered and he made his way back to Potter.

"Harry, I'm so sorry." Dumbledore then made his exit.

Draco waited a few minutes until opening his eyes. He didn't know what to think or believe. It was impossible and illogical; people don't start exchanging junk like that. Potter was the Boy Wonder for something. If someone could survive a killing curse then it would be probable for them to defy nature's other laws. Potter would be Potter no matter what gender. Did this mean he couldn't muggle fight with him anymore, well not like he did such a barbaric thing anyway. Well Draco did hex girls as well as boys, so maybe everything would be fine. So it still would be fair to fight dirty. Yes, nothing would change between them.

Now that he knew Potter's weakness, what could he do with it? Well first he would have to confirm if Potty boy was in fact a girl, or would turn into one. Of course not physically, that would be most disturbing. He could do so much with that knowledge. He smirked when he considered that he could tell the Dark Lord and gain his favor. No, he had to milk it for all of its worth. He may blackmail Pothead to do his biddings or something; yes he knew that he was getting closer. Or he would get Potter's trust, then he betray him to the Dark Lord. Hmm, no, how would they be friends. He laughed as he thought of wooing the soon to be girl. No girl could resist him anyway. Draco paused for a moment with his line of thinking. Now that was seemingly impossible and funny at the same time; him and Potter, what a joke. Potter would still be too hideous, anyway.

Draco would have to definitely go for blackmail, somehow get Potter's attention and then make him do humiliating things. He would then beat him fairly, or as fair as possible. Yes then after his fun, when the boy-who-would-soon-be-a-girl would be all emotionally disturbed and vulnerable, he would trick her into the Dark Lords hands. Draco smiled; his life was absolutely perfect, excluding of course the untimely plague. Maybe he wouldn't send Theodore to his grave, at least not permanently.

Draco fell asleep with a smile on his face, that when Madam Pomfrey came out made her think of cupids and little angels. She couldn't help but believe that good people came in surprising forms.

* * *

Draco awoke as the sun slapped his eyes shut, and he jumped up. This may be the only chance for him. He tiptoed to the curtained off section where Harry Potter still slept. Behind the white sheet, Draco glimpsed a pretty face… this couldn't be the right bed, before Madam Pomfrey pulled him aside and told him he was free to go.

"Wait," he yelped, "I can barely walk it hurts." Well it didn't hurt that bad, he just couldn't allow the other students to see him like that; all weak and with purple spots. And he still needed to find out about Potter. He continued to whine a bit more till she grabbed about ten pain killer potions and then forced him out. Draco groaned till she shut the door on his face. That was not what he expected from her. The door locked and a sign of 'temporarily out' printed along the glass plane.

He made his lone trek back to the Slytherin house without seeing many students. He was still mad at her though and many of the students averted their eyes when he yelled at them for staring. He was glad when he saw Theodore, and even happier that he had his wand with him. Revenge felt sweet to him, especially now that he could use all of those new curses.

* * *

It did irk Draco that he could not make contact with Potter, but he could improvise. He was happier also that the purple spots were fading away and that it was the last day of school. Tomorrow he would confront Potter on the train, he couldn't help the slight fit of laughter that slipped from his lips that scared his fellow Slytherins. Things were going beautifully.

He packed everything from his room into his trunk and prepared for the train ride back. To his relief, the spots had disappeared, and he felt as good as new. Better even, with the prospect of tormenting Potty. He happily got on the Hogwarts express and with his gang went to an empty apartment. He had seen Potter briefly, but it discouraged him that he still looked the same. Draco felt certain that it was not a dream he had; it couldn't have been. Leaving his Slytherin pals, and Pansy's cries of distress, he went Potter hunting.

Draco was no master tracker able to see all the vestiges left from students, but he had a way of finding Potter. He knew that Potter and his gang were at the end of the train, and Draco saw red. The Weasley family practically swamped the train, with their disgusting red hair.

He walked by their compartment and immediately saw Potter and walked on. He didn't know exactly what to do to get him alone. He walked passed it again and saw Granger, Red head, and Longbottom also inside. The rest of the Weasleys were in a compartment closer to his own. Draco figured he would do it the old fashioned way, and just jump right in.

He slid open the door and took a step forward, almost ruining his loafers with a toad in his way. They were so blatantly staring at his face that he easily slipped the frog out of the compartment. "Weasel, mudblood we got a prefect meeting at the front of the train and I am gathering everyone. So do hurry up." They were still staring at him, except for Ron who was more like glaring.

"Don't call me that, you ferret." Draco feigned a hurt look.

"If anyone is a rodent it's you and your family, you produce like them, and live in a burrow, what more can I say?" Weasel was turning a bright red much like his hair and grabbed Granger to rampage out. He was too easy, but hardly any fun. "Oh and Longbottom, someone reported a missing toad, you might want to find it before someone steps on it." Longbottom looked horrified and left the two while calling for his toad. Draco attempted a smile, but saw Potters reluctance to converse.

"Oh, hi Potter, you look…well." And boyish. Draco would have to sweet talk the truth out of him.

"Don't you have somewhere to go or someone else to bother." Potter looked annoyed, and Draco had to suppress a laugh at what Potter was going through. Turning into a girl! Priceless.

"Let me check my schedule," he pretended to pull out a slip of paper, "nope, but I noticed that we haven't bonded in a while so I figured that you missed me." Potter gave him an incredulous look and Draco got comfortable on the opposite side of him. "So anything new happen…hmm?" The other boy chose not to answer. "You know it helps if you say something back."

"What do you want?" Potter sighed "I don't feel like arguing right now."

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you." Draco smirked a bit; he knew Potter was getting uncomfortable. "You look better though without your glasses." One of Potter's eyebrows rose, this was too much fun. Draco continued to stare at him, looking to see if there was anything different about him.

"Did someone curse you or did you lose some kind of bet?"

"I've got a secret, but I need to whisper it to you." He could hear weasel stomping around like a troll.

"What's wrong with you, Malfoy?"

Draco stood from his seat and leaned closer to him, bringing a hand to block the exit. Potter's emerald eyes widened and Draco slipped his other hand to the side of his face and pulled off the stupid looking glasses. "I know what you really are, Potter" Draco whispered close to his ear. Potter's look of complete surprise and then poorly concealed indifference confirmed his suspicions; Potter was a girl after all. Draco smirked triumphantly and noted how she looked a little fearful and confused; he liked that look.

"Wha- what are you talking about?" She blinked slowly. The door opened and an angry Weasley and Granger dragged in a much relieved Longbottom. Draco finally pulled away from her while chuckling softly.

"You tricked us!" Weasley growled. Draco's smirk was even smugger.

"I just needed to talk with wonder _boy _here," He stressed the word and looked directly at Potter, "Till next year, and remember what I said about the glasses." He dropped the glasses on her lap and gave her a wink before passing through the door.

When he got back to his compartment he was still smiling. Pansy though looked desperate for his attention and he simply ignored her staring.

"Why are you so happy, Draco?" Pansy whined.

"I just met this really wonderful girl." Draco replied watching Pansy's eyes narrow.

"Someone I might know?" Draco nodded and Pansy smiled. "Me?" He laughed loudly, and wouldn't look at her for the rest of the ride. He didn't want to lead her on, now that he got new prey to feast on. He couldn't wait for next year with Potter girl, and all the ways he could torment her.

* * *

*end of chapter 4* Thanks for all of the reviews, and I _may_ not write for a bit cause of SAT testing (I probably will anyway though), so till next time.


	5. Chapter 5 the Passing

**Title:** Harmony Lives

**Disclaimer**: If my life was a fanfict then I would somehow own Harry Potter and Draco, but for realz I don't own them….or any of the characters for that matter. They belong to…J.K. Rowling… but don't tell anyone.

-Oh and to clear things I didn't mention, Snape did not know that Draco was awake then in the hospital bed, but Dumbledore knew. And no, I'm not going to make a point of view on him.

Harry will still be written as a guy till he changes and realizes his gender =), and I will still refer to him as Harry, for now.

Chapter 5 the Passing

* * *

"Why is he here?" Harry glared at the man standing in front of him.

"Harmony, Professor Snape insisted to observe your transformation," Dumbledore said.

"Why? So he can watch me suffer." Harry stared pointedly at his Potions Professor who in return sneered.

"As much as I enjoy," Snape said giving Dumbledore a slight glance "…helping you Potter. Since I am the one administering the potion I must also make sure everything goes smoothly." Harry continued to stab daggers at him in his mind.

"How much do you know?" Harry frowned with rising horror. He hated Snape's superior look.

"Enough of it Miss Harmony James Potter," Snape continued to sneer. "Though knowing your father he had to add James somewhere within your name. The arrogant prat."

"Like you could name me any better," Harry spat a tad bit offended. Harry's heart almost stopped when he witnessed something impossible: Snape was smiling, and oddly he didn't have the urge to commit suicide, but he wouldn't believe how beautiful such a smile could be. It blinded him, the perfect balance with such an abnormally large nose.

"How about Marry Poppins." Harry gapped at him, it was a brilliant name. Damn, Snape was good.

"Oh, I do recall when Lily and James named you," came Dumbedore's forgotten presence. Harry turned towards the Headmaster from his bed and Snape's smile dwindled to a frown. "They had the mind to name you Harmony Lily Potter, but I kind of…well anyway they didn't." Dumbledore ended in a bit of a cough. An eyebrow arched on Harry's face. "Well I may have persuaded them that considering your circumstances, James would be a fitting middle name, and James happily agreed." Snape let out an audible snort. "If you want to change it later when you come to age, you may." Dumbledore ended in a defeated tone.

"It doesn't matter, that's really the least of my concerns." Harry attempted a smile. "So what will happen with this potion?"

"You will go to sleep for 24 hours which will dissolve the prior puberty stopper potion and you will wake up as a prepubescent girl. This will enable the transformation to hurt much less since you will be under a lethargic influence. Then over the summer you will begin all of the wonderful and fascinating ordeals of many young witches." Snape ended with unsuppressed glee as his hands danced a bit for effect on the 'wonderful' and 'fascinating' part. Yes this was a wonderful day for Snape. "I am at the final stages of the potion and it will be finished soon."

"So my body will change…what about my face?" Harry directed this question to the headmaster.

"I based your image solely on that of James, including the glasses to make you in likeness of him. I do not know what you will look like, but recently the magic has weakened, so you have been turning to look more, er- like your mother, which caused great pain for you."

"How am I to look like Harry then? I can't go around wearing a skirt to defeat Voldemort." Harry blanched considerably. "I can't stay with the Dursleys as a girl!"

"I'll be back with the finalized potion." Snape interrupted. Though Snape loved to watch Harry squirm, the boy's voice kept on cracking, and whining always gave him headaches.

"Harry, you must stay with the Dursley family for at least a day, they must miss you dearly." Harry gave Dumbledore an exasperated look; the Headmaster would never understand that they would rather celebrate his death than be in his presence for an hour.

"Only for a day?" Harry inwardly smiled; maybe changing into a girl would be worth it.

"Yes, then Minerva can teach you the witch's side of life." Shite, his life was officially screwed.

"If I am to pretend to be a boy, then it wouldn't matter if I learned to act like a girl."

"Harmony, it still would be beneficial to have someone teaching you the basic female etiquette as you undergo something so drastic. The later transition when everyone is ready to know the truth will help you fit more into that role." Harry knew that Dumbledore was a master at strategies for a reason, he had every step planned.

"Only if I can later be with Sirius." Dumbledore nodded.

"I will acquire some face cream that enables the user to transfigure their face. Meanwhile, I can perform an advanced spell that masks your appearance." The door to the Hospital Wing barged open and Snape strut in followed by two other Slytherins. One was being carried and looked completely stoned. That was Draco Malfoy.

They placed him on an unoccupied bed on Harry's far left. Madam Pomfrey hurried to the supine boy. Even Harry could tell that Malfoy was not feigning his pain. He watched with curiosity as Malfoy was tantalized by suffering. The nurse forced a pain alleviating potion down his throat and made to get more.

"What's wrong with him?" Harry asked as he got up for a better view. Crabbe's rotund body blocked part of his entertainment.

"Someone hexed him. Bad." Crabbe surprisingly answered him. Well that was not elaborate at all. Harry got a better view of Mafoy's face and snorted at the growing purple spots.

"Must have been those nasty Gryffindors, right Crabbe?" Of course Snape would accuse the Gryffindors, any reason to knock off house points. The git probably was asking for it anyway.

"Uh, I dunno, we found him like that." Snape should know better than to ask Crabbe a question that required the use of a brain. Harry saw that Malfoy began to calm as the potion coursed though his system.

"The Septicemic Plague Curse," Snape deduced unsurprisingly. "Present symptoms are high fever, vomiting, rapid heart rate, and delirium. All he needs is time for the spell to wear off." Harry wouldn't have thought it possible, but Snape did appear to care for him; poor Malfoy indeed. "Crabbe, you may leave now, and Poppy, force him to drink all of the pain killer potions."

Snape really wanted to intoxicate Malfoy, and the man walked over to Harry who scampered back to his bed. Luckily, Madam Pomfrey didn't force him to down any more potions which would have been a choking hazard. Snape withdrew an orange bottled potion from his robes and dangled it between his long fingers.

"Now Potter, this potion will make you slumber for a whole 24 hours and you may feel a slight tingling as you are immobile." Snape's sneer tripled Harry's misgivings. Snape really did have a sadistic side, but Harry uncapped the potion and downed it with a grimace from the rancid taste. Snape definitely made it as inedible as possible, and he almost could feel the mélange of little chunks of miscellaneous animal parts. As the last of the potion slipped down his throat, his eyelids leaden with sleep and he blacked out from the world.

Snap had lied, it hurt like hell. He could feel his bones shifting to that of a girl's anatomy. His lower stomach burned and he wouldn't even mention the corrosive pain of a specific sensitive organ that would even make Voldemort cry like a little girl. Well maybe he would cry out in happiness from the pain feeling so good, like Harry could imagine. Damn potion catalysis that made the magic in his blood to enervate so that he would turn back into his rightful gender. Damn Voldemort and his inability to die. And damn his life for being so crappy.

It was the isolation that scared him, and it was worse than the time before being a wizard was a fairy tale. Harry Potter was one of the most famous wizards alive, and the prospect of everyone knowing would be unbearable. He wondered what his friends would say. Ron was his best mate, but sometimes he could be the biggest arse pain ever, even to the point that he would think this sex change was a ploy for attention. Hermione would try to help, but Harry knew that no words could help him now.

They were everything he could ever ask for, and they somewhat completed him, but he knew that they would eventually leave him to be together. Harry would end up alone. What was he to do as a male in a girl's body? How could anyone love him now that he didn't even know what he was?

* * *

Harry awoke disoriented, hungry, and in need to use the loo. He hadn't been up since the previous day and he blinked slowly up at Dumbedore and Snape. He saw Dumbledor's eyes twinkling, and Snape's pale face was even more ashen and took on the look of a goldfish out of its tank. Harry rubbed his emerald eyes and could barely think straight.

"waz up?" he slurred and his eyes widened. His voice sounded softer. He looked fearful at his smaller hands and then back at the two older men in front of her. He vaguely once wondered if Dumbledore was into young boys, but now he felt glad that he was a girl, though Snape was an entirely new concern. He felt a bit exposed to their eyes with the hospital gown that barely concealed his new form. He must have looked comical to them, like some hideous new female specimen. "Er. May I use the loo?"

Dumbledore nodded and called for Poppy for help. Harry wished that Snape would stop gawking at his new body and knew that some snide remark would fall from his gaping lips. He pushed the sheets away and slung his slender legs over the mattress to test if his feet could support his weight. Madam Pomfrey bustled to him and gave her support. A little loo was stationed at the back and Harry made his way alone to one of the stalls. He would never imagine that relieving himself would be such a challenge. At first he wondered how girls could piss while standing, but he freaked when he realized something else. All he could repeat in remorse was 'where had it gone'!

After he finished and flushed, he stumbled to the sinks. He nearly blacked out when he saw his reflection. It was all too much. There in place of his regular self was a girl in the mirror. It was terrible that the girl was him. No, that she was in fact a _girl_. Now she had to believe it.

The girl reflected back had a smaller and snub nose, emerald eyes with thick black eyelashes rimming them, finely arched eyebrows, and her face had a soft and smother appearance. Her lips were fuller with a swollen look and small like a petite mouth on a porcelain doll. Her once untamable hair fell in soft waves that she knew with length would curl at the ends. She was glad to see the same black hair color and knew that it was her by the lightening bolt scar.

She didn't know if she was beautiful, but she knew that she would never be called ugly. She smiled at her reflection and decided that she made a pretty good girl. If she was still a guy she would definitely check herself out…wait she was herself, so it wouldn't matter if she would take a look. She couldn't help but slap her face, feeling like a moron. Her whole body structure was undeniably that of a girl and with her hands she could feel her pelvis bones jutting out. Harry blinked a few more times at her reflection and took the courage to grace the elder men with her presence.

"She looks remarkably like Lily." Snape said through tight lips. Harry made her way to the bed.

"Yes she does, except she has her father's hair." Snape though glared at her.

"What if anyone needs to come in here?" She asked Madam Pomfrey, noticing Malfoy's absence.

"Don't worry dear, I made a sign and locked the doors so that only individuals of life threatening injuries could seek my help. You must be very hungry." Harry nodded her head and turned towards the headmaster and Snape.

"How do you feel?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.

"I feel numb." Numb from everything.

"You should get into proper clothes, Potter." Snape mumbled before turning to leave. "If you need me, I'll be in my office." Harry couldn't help but smile since Snape said all of that without his usual sneer. She was given an easy meal to digest and though she had slept for a whole day she felt drained.

"I'll return when you are rested Harmony, and place that spell to conceal your face. Take care." Dumbledore left and she shut her eyes.

When she awoke it was dark out and the sun set down in a fine cream colored array. True to his word, Dumbledore came through the door within five minutes.

"Hello professor," Harry said, trying not to glare at the other man.

"School will end in two more days my girl, and all of the professors are willing to excuse you for missing work."

"Even Professor Snape?" Harry asked.

"Yes, you will join your house shortly for dinner and resume your schedule. I have brought your uniform and supplies and I will perform the spell that will configure your face to appear like the previous Harry." Harry nodded and closed her eyes. She assumed that Dumbledore had used wandless magic and felt her old face. "It will only last for a full four days, then Minerva can assist you with this cream." Dumbledore held out a large container of yellowing ointment cream. "Made it myself," Dumbledore smiled and left the room to give Harry her privacy to change. He must have noticed the way she was accusing him in her mind.

Harry started changing by pulling on a pair of pants that thankfully still fit her, though not for long she had to remind herself. She chose to stay with boxers and ignored the pink panties that she didn't even want to think how Dumbledore acquired such undergarments. There was no bra, but cloth for binding her flat chest down. After she got her shirt and tie on, she thanked Madam Pomfrey and left for the Great Hall.

Several eyes followed her as she made for Ron and Hermione. She hoped that the students wouldn't be able to see through her disguise. She knew that Professor McGonagall and Snape were eyeing her as she plopped down with Ron.

"Hey guys." She said trying to make her voice lowered and natural.

"Harry, I hope you are feeling better, you were in there an awfully long time, and no visitors were allowed." Hermione said as if to ask why the Hospital Wing was blocked.

"Oh really, I was asleep the entire time. I guess she didn't want anyone disturbing me unless it was an emergency. You know how protective she can be." Harry smiled a bit "I feel loads better thanks." Ron had his mouth full, so he couldn't really say any platitudes.

The next two days strained Harry as she felt paranoid of being discovered. The end feast in the Great Hall mourned Cedric Diggory. He also said his farewells to Fleur and Krum. It was as if someone was watching her from afar. She was glad when she got on Hogwarts Express to find an empty compartment along with her friends. She didn't join in on their conversation preferring to stare out to the passing cloudless scenery.

The compartment door slid open and Draco Malfoy graced them with his presence. Harry did not know how worse her life could get. "Weasel, Mudblood we got a Perfect meeting at the front of the train and I am gathering everyone. So do hurry up." Harry glanced at Ron wondering if a verbal fight would commence.

"Don't call me that, you ferret," came Ron's predictable response. Harry continued to observe Malfoy's hurt filled face. He was an exceptional actor; well he was good at fabricated pain.

"If anyone is a rodent it's you and your family, you produce like them, and live in a burrow, what more can I say. Oh and Longbottom, someone reported a missing toad, you might want to find it before someone steps on it." Okay, so Ron was soon to explode with furry but thankfully left with Hermione. Neville then squirmed out to look for Trevor. Malfoy gave her a brilliant smile that she knew girls would be melted by. She knew that look though; she had given it to girls too.

"Oh, hi Potter, you look…well." Malfoy continued to charm her, but she wouldn't give in to his small talk.

"Don't you have somewhere to go or someone else to bother?" Her eyes narrowed wondering what he wanted.

"Let me check my schedule," He pretended to search his pockets, and she briefly wondered if he was getting out a wand to hex her. "Nope, but I noticed that we haven't bonded in a while so I figured that you missed me." Malfoy was a bucket filled with bullocks, and Harry wanted crush his silly façade. He draped his body opposite from her as if he owned the seat. "So anything new happen…..hmm?" Oh yae, loads of things have happened. I saw Cedric drop dead from some violent green unmentionable practice, I had a little tea party with Voldmort on his father's grave, oh and two days ago I thought it would be funny to turn into a girl. Imagine that. "You know it helps if you say something back." No shite Detective Malfoy.

"What do you want? I don't feel like arguing right now." He obviously didn't want a fight, cause then he would have brought Cabbe and Goyle to do it for him.

"Nothing, I just wanted to see you." Something was wrong because no guy would say that to another guy with a serious expression. She could barely keep her eyes away from his intense stare. "You look better though without your glasses." Was he flirting with her, she would have laughed three days ago as a boy, but now she felt a bit intimidated and unsure. He continued to smirk and stare. Was she still capable of besting him in a match; was she even equal to him anymore? It was like he could see right passed her mask and see the squirming girl she had become.

"Did someone curse you or did you lose some kind of bet?" This had to be some sick joke and she hated his smug smirk almost as much as Snape's sneer.

"I've got a secret, but I need to whisper it to you." Whoa, Harry wished that she had said that on Cho or any unsuspecting girl. She gulped down her pressing fear and hoped that she wasn't turning pink from humiliation.

"What's wrong with you, Malfoy?" she didn't know that she had said that aloud. Someone had cursed him because he never had tried this on her before; unless he was that desperate for some action. He rose from his seat with one hand blocking her escape route to the door. His other hand brushed against her jaw line to her glasses making her skin tingle from the small caress. She saw his face clearer now that the fake lenses were off and he was mere inches away. He bent close to her ear and the air stopped in her throat. What the hell?

"I know what you really are, Potter" his breath tickled her ear, but she was unable to move away and her arms were immobile as her mind screamed for her to push him away. His low voice sent a slight shiver down her spine. Fear crept into her eyes as her brain finally processed what he had said. What did he know? How could anyone know, it had only been two full days? No of course he didn't know he was just trying to get a rise from her.

"Wha- what are you talking about?" Her heart rate pounded along her veins. Was this some cruel new tactic to scare her. She saw his smirk and really wanted to see into his mind. The door thudded open but Harry had eyes only set for Malfoy. A void filled between them as he pulled away from her and his faint scent lingered along with their combined heat. He chuckled then and Harry berated herself for behaving like such a girl.

"You tricked us!" Harry vaguely heard Ron's outraged battle cry.

"I just needed to talk with wonder _boy _here," His voice stressed over boy and she wondered what Malfoy really did know. "Till next year, and remember what I said about the glasses." He left after dropping the glasses onto her lap and giving her a quick wink.

"What was that about?" Ron asked while the color of his checks faded.

"I'm not really sure."

"Well what did he say?" Was Hermione always this nosy?

"The usual pointless threat," Harry grumbled a bit. Malfoy was insinuating her sexual orientation. She should have punched him when she had the chance.

"But blimely, was he getting close to you, Malfoy doesn't know how to respect people's space. Do you think he is a poof?" Ron held a morbid fascinated expression with that.

"Nah, he was just trying some new intimidating tactics, didn't scare me a bit." Since when was she such a good liar? Maybe she just didn't want to alarm them. "He just said the usual threats and how his father was coming after me." Now that would be scary if Malfoy Senior would come on to her as well. She shuddered lightly, bad mental images.

The rest of the train ride passed uneventful, and the others soon forgot about Mafoy's intrusion, but Harry couldn't help but wonder if he really knew that she was a girl. She kept on envisioning Malfoy's steel eyes and feeling the ghost outline of his slight touches. It bothered her, but she forced her mind to bury it.

She said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and promised to keep in touch. They said that she could visit the Burrow and Hermione kissed her check sending Ron sputtering. She hugged Mrs. Weasley on the other side of the barrier and saw Uncle Vernon looking nastily along.

"Hurry up, get in the car." he said shoving her trunk into the back. Harry held onto Hedwig and sat onto the green leather seat. The car accelerated in motion and she ignored the glares that Vernon was flashing her from the mirror. It was going to be fine since it was only a day with them. Harry had more important things to think about. She watched through the window the passing landscape and the void canvas of the sky.

* * *

*End of Chapter 5*


	6. Chapter 6 the Potter

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer**: _Harry Potter_ is J.K. Rowling's and I am not making any profit from this, so don't sue me cause I got about fifty cents in my pocket.

Oh. My. Holy. Deity. During the SAT testing thing I wrote part of my essay on Harry Potter. I knew I shouldn't have been up till 1 AM reading Harry Potter fanficts the night of….hmm. hahaha

**Chapter 6:** the Potter

* * *

Harry Potter was not happy. This was not directly because she was forced to stay at the Dursleys. This wasn't even entirely because she had recently gone trough a weird sex change which was making her cramp with pains and grow unmentionables. She sat on her bed staring at the letter in her hands written by Professor McGonagall.

_Dear Harmony Potter,_

_I have been informed by the Headmaster of your turning and would be delighted to offer my guidance to you. We will have such a phenomenal time learning witch decorum and dancing. As of the moment two of my close friends are visiting so I will collect you tomorrow. I know that Dumbledore has told you that you would only stay with your relatives for a day, but I know that some more time with them may be constructive for your relation with them. People change Harmony and many for the better. Best of Luck_

_From, __Minerva McGonagall_

This could not be happening. What was Professor McGonagall thinking? She was not going to go tell her deepest secrets to them and expect some 'family' bonding. She had been expecting to leave that very day and had kept to her room. How was she going to hide her face for another day without looking like boy Harry? The spell would only last for a few more hours at least and she had no way to use magic to conceal her face.

Her hands crumpled the thick parchment and she took off her glasses to rub her eyes. The only plus was that Dudley was out with his gang and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were leaving her be. Her temporary room felt so stale and stuffy. The window was open but that didn't do much to ventilate the air. Not to mention she had no air conditioner and the day would only grow hotter. She changed her shirt to that of a thinner one and hopped into her only pair of graying shorts. The park would do her good.

It was easy to slip out from the front without being noticed and she felt the reassuring presence of her wand inside of her pocket. When she got to the park's entrance she was glad to note that there were no children. Behind the grassy field she saw a cluster of lilac trees and she made her way to hide from the sun's glare. She gracelessly plopped down onto the soft grass and enjoyed the fresh earthly scent. She briefly wondered how her friends were faring before as she shut her eyes, thinking.

...

There was a slight low whistling sound but Harry wanted to continue her dream of battling the silver dragon and catching the golden snitch. It was rare that she had fun dreams like these, but the voices kept on penetrating into her mind.

"_Hey, look at that pretty girl, she probably isn't from here or else I would have asked her out." _ Harry was so glad to have her broom as she flew around the dragon's head to confuse it. The dragon though just stalked her with its slit eyes and flicked its forked tongue as if it was tasting prey.

"_Like she would be interested in you Gordon, I on the other hand bet I can get her." _ She could make out the golden blur of the snitch reflected in the dragon's eyes. She was flying closer now and saw the fire erupt from its mouth heading for her.

"_No girl can resist my charms, plus there's plenty of me to go around!" _She was momentarily disgusted because she could identify that voice. The fire brushed her legs but thankfully she didn't feel the burning, unfortunately the bristles of her broom alighted with fire.

"_Of course Big D." _She was falling fast and her broom slipped uselessly from her grasp. There was no stopping from the deathly maw of the dragon, no golden prize to celebrate, but this death was worse than Dudley hitting on her. She was not petrified of this creature as she surrendered her very self to it. She could only close her eyes to hide from the dragon's stormy orbs.

"Should we wake her up?" Harry reluctantly opened her eyes to see the mammoth Dudley and his monkey gang who tormented her as a boy kneeling over her. Immediately she went for her wand but stopped at Dudley's peaceful gesture.

"Hey baby, just wanted to check to see if you were alive and in need for some mouth to mouth resuscitation," Dudley leered at her. A small part of Harry died that moment, but luckily she was breathing and had not aspirated on her impending vomit. Ickle Diddykins was putting the moves on her and he so obviously did not know how to perform CPR anyway.

"Do you know who I am?" Harry brought her hand to her face and felt the lack of her glasses. _Damn it_, she thought, _Damn, Damn_! She sat up and Dudley's gang stepped back a bit to give their boss ample time to show off his impressive figure. Dudley was still a vast ocean, and his 'new' found talent at boxing only gave his normally rotund body a massive look.

"Nope, but that can easily be fixed." Harry wished that she was still sleeping so that she could sick a few dementors on him, just to frighten the boy. She instead rolled her eyes. At least he didn't know that it was her. Dudley must have a whole collection of pick up lines or something and she wanted to be spared from his sorry attempt.

"Well, because I know all about you." She said faking a smile.

"Well of course you do, I am something like a big deal around here." Wow, Dudley's conceited parade could almost match Draco Malfoy's. Well Harry might as well have some fun.

"I heard that you are some boxing champ, must have gotten a lot of practice." Dudley nodded his head fiercely. "A big step from the elementary kids and local children punching bags."

"Huh?" Dudley said perfectly imitating the apes Crabbe and Goyle.

"Oh, I'm sorry I thought your contenders were kids your own size, but I could be wrong since I have yet to meet someone of your bulk."

"Wah?" Dudley gave another not so intelligent reply. So Harry might want a bit of a fight.

"Oh and I heard that you are a spoiled prat who thinks he's so great, but who really needs his cronies to act strong in order to hide his craven little self. I know so many people like you who enjoy belittling others and tormenting innocent people." Dud was turning an interesting violet (much like Vernon's infamous Crayola purple) and had his fist clenching and unclenching. "So, are you going to hit a girl too?"

"You don't know anything about me, so don't judge me like you do." Dudley got up quickly and made to leave. "Sorry for disturbing you."

"Don't know anything! Of course I do Dudley or should I say Ickle Diddykins." Dudley spun around and really looked at the girl in front of him. Harry stood at her not so imposing height of five feet and half an inch.

"Harry?" he asked in a whisper. His gang though heard.

"Big D, you mean Harry your cousin?"

"That Potter boy that attends St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys?"

"Ew Big D, you were hitting on your freak of a cousin."

Dudley continued to gape at Harry and eyeballed the scar on her forehead. As much as Harry wanted to make Dudley suffer, she felt it right to save him, and save herself from a very likely beating.

"No, I'm not Harry, that's obviously a boy's name. I'm Marry Jane, your semi local mystery girl." She ended in a slightly believable courtesy.

"Oh, then can I have your number?" Malcolm asked with a toothy grin. Harry rolled her eyes at his hopeful look.

"Nah, then I wouldn't be a mystery. Bye boys." She left them and walked out the entrance to be joined by Dudley and some very annoying cat calls from his gang.

"Freaky queer," Harry overheard, and stiffened on reflex. "Why the hell do you look like that?"

"When I was just a bun fresh from the oven, an evil dark lord put a curse on me that turned me into a boy. Only love could break it, so I must thank you Dud, for saving me from my wretched life." Dudley sputtered like a chicken caught in the cuckoo's nest.

"That- well I thought- I was only messing around- no." Harry laughed at him.

"I kid, but really I'm a girl." Dudley stared at her oddly.

"Like magic and potions?" he asked. "That's messed up. And for a second I thought you were hot. Now I want to vomit."

"Good job, here's a magically invisible cookie." Harry reached in her pocket for one and handed him some air. "Now don't eat it all at once." Dudley stared at his hand as they continued on heading for the house.

"I'm not how I was before." Dudley suddenly said breaking the silence. Harry arched an eyebrow. "I mean I don't beat up the smaller kids."

"Really, I find that hard to believe."

"There's a reason why I started boxing," Dudley uttered rapidly. "I was alone one day and a group of really older kids cornered me because they didn't like my attitude or something. They called me 'fat arse' and took turns beating me up. I wanted to get bigger so that I could punch their cheek bones in."

Harry shrugged her shoulders, not caring. Any bigger and Dudders would be a beached whale. "Wow Dud, I guess there is still hope for us all."

"Thanks for covering me." Harry hadn't even known that Dudley knew that word since he never used it before on anyone with sincerity. Harry nodded and wondered that maybe Dudley felt scared that she would get her revenge on him later.

Nothing more was said as they walked through the doorway of the house on Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon greeted Dudley and squinted at Harry. "Oh Dudley, brought home a cute girlfriend, hmm?" Harry almost laughed when Dud began to stutter incoherently. Aunt Petunia walked in from the kitchen wearing a pink stained apron and gasped at the girl in front of her.

"Lily? No, who are you?" Aunt Petunia scrutinized the girl.

"It's Harry, dad." Dudley grunted. Uncle Vernon looked to be having an aneurysm, but Harry knew that she shouldn't hope for too much. Harry gave a hesitant smile and made sure to be out of tackling range.

"What the bloody hell have you done to yourself, boy?" Harry wondered how she could tell the truth without it being explicit. She couldn't say that it wasn't what it looked like, because it so obviously was. She bit her bottom lip in concentration.

"Well I have always been a girl-"

"Don't you dare lie to us. You have been a boy ever since we got your ungrateful hide. I ought to throw you out now and end all of this funny business." Vernon sputtered with venomous rage. "You are a freaky crime against nature and you're lucky I have put up with you." Aunt Petunia put a bony hand on his arm and nodded even as her bottom lip quivered.

"Well, as a baby I was magically concealed as male, but now the spell is gone and this is me." She shrugged her shoulders. What else could she say? Maybe scare them and say that she was pregnant.

"You freak of nature," Vernon deduced. Some things will forever remain. Dudley stared about unsure, but the fumes from the kitchen tantalized his hunger and he left unnoticed.

"So can I stay for another day?" Uncle Vernon reluctantly nodded his head.

"Let's all eat and digest this over," Petunia said, pealing off her apron. Harry was allowed to eat at the table, but didn't like to be some human exhibit for the family to gawk at.

"So what should we call you?" Dudley asked between mouthfuls. Harry looked a bit shocked. She had thought that they would have hit her over the head with a frying pan. But she wasn't sure if they were just acting civil, since she was only there for a day. She hadn't even been on full terms with it herself. Was she any different as Harry or Harmony? She noticed that they were waiting for her to respond.

"Call me Harmony." They nodded their heads. What was in a name any way? Regardless of whatever others labeled her, she would still be the same inside. Harry was a mask for her. She was the girl who lived; she was Harmony.

* * *

_*End of chapter 6*_


	7. Chapter 7 the Peril

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 7 the Peril

**Disclaimer: **1). I do not make any profit from this. 2). It would be a lie to say that I owned it because J.K. Rowling totally owns _Harry Potter_. And I mean TOTALLY.

**Warning**: written under the intoxication of blueberries and Japanese soda candy that fizzes...and a lot of Seltzer for that matter, there is like a pile on my desk. Oh and written at 4 o'clock in the morning as well. Enjoy.

* * *

Harmony sat on the stone steps leading to the Dursley's door impatiently waiting for Professor McGonagall. She was beginning to perspire under the large boy clothes that she wore. Hedwig comforted her from her cage on top of a worn out trunk. She gave a slight sigh as she could almost feel the eyes from the living room window too scared to do anything but separate themselves with a thin sheet of glass, and stepping clear from any thing that resembled 'freaky' or a chimney. It was almost ridiculous that she had to wait outside.

Of all of the transporting devises possible, Harmony would never have expected the flying rectangle coming straight for her. It was unmistakably her professor, but she couldn't identity what she was on. It wasn't a broom, car, or portkey. Professor McGonagall made an abrupt landing in front of the Dursley's garden hedge, unfortunately situated in the view of the living room window. For the next few seconds the Dursley household sounded like the set for a under budgeted murder movie. Harmony covered her ears as Hedwig joined in with Dudley's cries of 'the sky is falling mummy'.

She huffed in relief when the front door didn't swing open and push her off into the hard concrete. "Is that a flying carpet, Professor?" she asked with amusement.

"Of course not dear, it is a flying rug. Carpets have too much surface area." Harmony decided not to question any further. "Do you want to say goodbye to them?" she said waving a hand where the screams had subsided. Harmony could see the fear in each of their faces as if waving objects spelled out decapitation or defecation, each being seemingly worse than the other. She gave a tight smile and a small wave as she then progressed to move her luggage onto the rug.

"So where is the seatbelt on this thing?"

"A what, dear?"

"You know…something to fasten yourself to so that you won't fly off" and kill yourself in a horrible fashion was heavily implied.

"Oh, anything will stick to the rug when it is in air." Harmony sat cross legged behind her teacher and freed Hedwig from her cage.

"But won't the muggles see?" she asked.

"The rug is charmed so that muggles will see a cloud in the sky." Before she could say 'of course' the rug hovered from the ground beginning its journey. "So how was your stay?" McGonagall asked.

Considering that she wasn't cursed at, harassed, or neglected at all, it went well. "It went better than I ever thought it could." Professor McGonagall turned to face her with concern etched into her wrinkled face.

"How is it so far for you?" Harmony shrugged her shoulders not wanting to answer what was all too obvious. "May I call you Harmony?" Harmony gave a single nod and enjoyed the air rushing through her short hair.

"We will go rent a flat near Diagon Alley, behind that stationary store. You are to be my fictitious friend Nancy Harpy's niece, Harmony Maystone. Poppy will check in on us and maybe Severus. We will learn a lot." She paused a bit at Harmony's pained expression and added "and will have much fun" as an after thought. "Sirius may be allowed to visit as well."

Harmony's lips lifted to a faint smile. Even though she may not be able to spend her first month with her friends, it would still be better than wasting away in the Dursley house. "So why use a rug to travel by, Professor?"

"What did you expect; an umbrella?" She laughed as if it was some kind of shared joke. Harmony frowned a little which made McGonagall in turn frown. "You have heard of Mary Poppins, right?"

"I have, but that's a muggle story."

"Well, Mary Poppins is a famous witch who breached wizardry laws and performed magic within the sight of muggles to teach children to behave or some nonsense like that. Well, she had invented the flying umbrella, and it has been banned since." Even though McGonagall was pulling the lecture mode, Harmony felt amused. "Everyone knows the story of how she was struck by lightning, but the muggles seem to have over looked that fact."

They arrived at the flat and Harmony stripped off the pale pink cloak that was supposed to mark her as a girl, or a flamboyant transvestite for that matter. She was glad that the flat allowed her a private room and washroom, and she dragged her trunk to the foot of her bed. It was only four in the afternoon and McGonagall wanted her to shop for proper clothes to fit a young lady.

Harmony went to the loo to wash up a bit. She turned her back from the mirror as she changed and felt with unconcealed horror the not as flat chest she had two days ago. It was still practically nothing and she had seen some larger man boobs, courteous of Dudley, but they would grow. She turned back to the mirror and studied her face. Yep, definitely female. Even her cropped hair looked better as a girl's. Everything would betray her now, how could she hide this form during Hogwarts? No, the world was determined to make her suffer.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it all to hell," she muttered under her breath. And damn her voice for sounding so disgustingly girly. She wanted to punch the mirror in front of her, but doubted her arms would even be strong enough to crack it. She bit her bottom lip and scrunched up her little nose in distaste.

"Harmony, you almost done in there?" McGonagall called from the hall leading to her room. Harmony washed her face once more and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Be right there," she yelled back, making for the door. She wanted to be comfortable since she figured they would be walking for a while with Gringotts Wizarding Bank as their first destination. She grabbed her overlarge and worn out sneakers and slipped them on before facing her. McGonagall approved of the outfit till her eyes reached the not so appealing foot wear.

"Do you have anything else, like sandals?"

"I thought we were going out to buy those things," and why did it matter so much what was on her feet. McGonagall ordered her to take off the sneakers and then transfigured them into brown flats with yellow and green flowers. Harmony was tempted to vomit right there, could it get any worse?

Apparently, yes it could, and the world was definitely laughing at her. She was in a Margaret's Secret lingerie store trying on bras. Some old lady had measured her rib cage size and it got even more embarrassing when her professor ordered for the magically cup adjustable bras that would readjust to the size of its owner. This had to be because she wasn't even an A yet….whatever that meant.

"Can we go now, please?" she asked feeling like some pervert surrounded by any boy's fantasy dream. At least she didn't see any familiar faces, not that they would recognize her anyway. But really, who wanted to see life sized posters of girls barely wearing anything? She had never seen girls undressed and wondered why she wasn't getting excited like the boys who looked at those magazines under their pillows. She was more or less getting embarrassed for the undressed girls on their behalf.

"But Harmony, we have not even gotten the panties yet." _Ah hell, someone kill me now._ She did not just hear McGonagall saying panties. _Ewwww_.

After purchasing five bras and under garments of multiple colors, she was then dragged into clothing stores for the fashionable witch. She had a sinking suspicion that McGonagall was actually enjoying herself, which grew ever more prominent with that self-satisfied smile that would not leave her face. By the time both of their arms were overflowing with bags, her stomach growled in protest.

"Don't fret, we will deliver the clothes and get a bite at the Pegasus Diner." Harmony followed closely behind her and wondered if Mcgonagall ever had a daughter or anyone to take care of. It was hard to imagine any of the Hogwart's staff having families, or at least married. They seemed content though, unless teaching really was secretly a miserable affair.

After dropping off her bags and stepping into the Pegasus Diner, they had ordered their food and were each in thought. "Professor, have you ever been married?" McGonagall was silent for a time and then sighed.

"No, but I was engaged once. A fool in what I had thought was love." The professor looked down with a sudden intense focus on her cauldron burger. "After that I immersed myself into teaching young witches and wizards." Harmony was a little sorry she asked. It was uncomfortable thinking about her Hogwarts professor, who was wise and capable of phenomenal magic, as someone unable to find love. What chance did she, a nearly fifteen year old girl trapped in the semblance of a twelve year old boy have?

As if Harmony's life wasn't complicated enough. The past fourteen years of life as a boy was relatively simple. But ever since that psycho-murderer Voldemort stole her blood, and she became a girl, everything changed. How was she supposed to like girls after that? How could she ever be with a _man_? She scoffed at that. No one would want her.

Harmony and McGonagall fell into a routine of morning classes where they would go over proper lady like decorum in formal and informal situations. She was just glad that they weren't going over the biology of females or something. After, she would be allowed free time and was able to go outside. She brought along her wand in case and usually went to a café to do summer assignments. It had been two and a half weeks since arriving and she had only gotten vague letters from both Ron and Hermione mostly which read that they were well and of course wished that she was there and not with her dreadful relatives.

One thing she liked was roaming the shops on Diagon Alley, looking in the Quidditch shop, gift shop, and book stores. It was a nice change not having people point at her while walking and whispering madly to each other, like they were nibbling ears. She could not ignore the daily prophet so well though. She still made the front page, minus the dress and girly looks. The worst was seeing the Wizarding World's reaction to the Daily Prophet's slander. Most of them sneered at seeing her boy face in the paper. They were all so fickle, believing her to be a savior and then discarding her when she brought bad news.

"I'm not going to let it get to me." Harmony mumbled to herself again. They could believe whatever the hell they wanted. The press was writing rumors and lies, while at the same time expecting her, a child, to face the dark lord. "I'm definitely not going to let it get to me." Harmony mumbled again. Besides, they could just shove their precious daily prophet someplace dark and enjoy _that_. It was all a load of bull shite anyway.

After finishing her lemon iced tea she decided to return home early. She might as well start her potion class homework. She took the stairs to her floor and heard whining noises from under their apartment door, before being attacked by a wet nose and over eager tongue.

"Sirius, control yourself," said a very curt annoyed looking Snape sounding as if his mouth had been washed with sulfuric acid, which might have actually happened, considering the fact that Sirius and he were both alive in the same room. She put a hand on the large shaggy dog and quickly closed the door behind her. With the sound of a click he reverted to his real form and hugged her tightly.

"Oh Harry," he whispered in her ear. He was now too tall for her and smothered her in a warm embrace. She couldn't help the grin that took over the lower half of her face. Sirius stepped away to get a good look and frowned. "This is strange," he said and caught himself. Her face started to turn pink. It didn't help that she was wearing a flowing cotton white dress with flower embroidery at the hem that reached her mid thigh. She wondered why McGonagall had 'asked' her to wear this one. "What I meant is different."

"Indeed," came a low mutter from Snape which he didn't realize was very much audible. He then proceeded to cough a bit and shuffle away.

"I heard that they needed an eligible male to be your dance instructor," Sirius said, returning the attention back to him. Harmony hoped that it wasn't Snape. Talk about awkward. "And I think that I have more than enough ample time and skill."

"Thanks Sirius," and she meant it.

"Unfortunately I cannot leave the flat without Snivellus stepping on my tail, so I may have to bum around here."

"Of course, I'm sure we can arrange a doghouse in a corner," she smiled cheekily. He ruffled her hair.

"So which should I call you, Harry or Harmony?"

"Well, depends on who I am dressed up for that day, but when we are alone together you can chose."

"Well I have always wanted a girl to dote on and guard from all of the worthless scum called the male race." He gave her a wink, though she thought that she saw something lost in his expression. "I think I smell dinner, and I hope that Snivellus forgot the arsenic."

Dinner was a bit of an awkward affair considering Snape and Sirius kept on giving her furtive glances as if she would blow up like a rampaging girl, or start giggling. It was funny too watching both of the grown men glaring at each other next while one was wolfing food down and the other grinding the pasta into liquid.

"At this rate it should be you two getting the lessons, you are grown men, be a good influence and tolerate each other." McGonagall snapped, giving them annoyed looks as if they should be sent to kindergarten to be taught to hold hands and learn basic courtesy. Asking the two to be friends was almost as possible as asking them to frolic in a meadow of daisies. Hand in hand as well with harps playing in the back. She shuddered from the bad mental images and suspected what her nightmares would bring. At least Snape wouldn't be staying the nights, then she really would have something to fear.

Wizard dancing with Sirius was much better than when they were learning to Ball room dance during the Triwizard tournament. Sirius knew all of the regulated moves and could teach her to spin around and know the proper steps at the right beat. By the end of the afternoon they looked like a decent pair, and he was able to show her some of his own moves that were fun to mimic.

They spent the next few days working on different routines and styles of dance. Sometimes Snape would watch and berate Sirius for dancing like an inept monkey. She didn't mind so much being the girl in the dances, and being lead around in circles. It had been much the same as dancing at the Yule ball at any rate.

The night before her birthday, Harmony spent her time taking a steaming bubble bath. Her fingers massaged shampoo into her short hair. It was all too surreal, but looking at her body she was irrevocably a girl. Curves were developing, and finally she had an arse. It was so embarrassing having breasts, she couldn't even look at them without a bra on, and even then it looked wrong. She knew the little bastards were conspiring to grow without any regard to her wishes. She could practically fit her entire hand around one and she really wondered why guys were crazy over them. She missed her flat chest.

She finished bathing and dried off to change. When she was finally ready she checked the time and wished herself an early happy birthday.

* * *

"Happy birthday to you, happy birth day to you~." She awoke to three people singing to her each with smiles. Sirius, McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey ended the song and they allowed her to change to be presentable. She felt so happy, celebrating the day with Sirius. She ran out of the room to the smell of sausage and pancakes, to see three packages on the table.

"Thank you," she said to them, "Er, thanks so much." She was so glad that she could have a proper birthday, where no one beat her up or cursed her existence.

She was not worried when she didn't receive any letters from her school friends; they probably wanted to celebrate in person. She gratefully accepted a gift from Sirius and carefully unwrapped the crumpled up brown paper. Inside was a note which read _Thank God you were born_. She knew her mouth would hurt since she rarely smiled for such a long duration. It was one of the nicest things ever said to her. Underneath the parchment was an antique looking mirror which oddly didn't reflect her face.

"This enchanted mirror connects to my own mirror so we can communicate. If you ever want to speak to me, no matter the time or even if it is to say goodnight, I will answer you."

"Thanks," she mumbled as gave him a warm hug. "Thank you for being here with me." It meant more than she could ever express.

McGonagall handed her a heavy package which she knew would be a textbook, and thanked her as well. On the table she saw a brown package and cautiously opened the soft material. She was marginally surprised when it was a bag from Margaret's Secret Lingerie store and could imagine skimpy dressed mannequins wearing flashing bright under garments and poor little Snape shielding his eyes from the bright colors. She took a few steps back, and held up a pair of light blue sock with patterns of kittens etched into them. She was so surprised since she had expected a bottle of rat livers.

'I didn't know what girls like' was evident enough. She thanked them all and allowed Madame Pomfrey to drag her to her room for the check up.

She was glad to know that she was a healthy young girl and would continue to grow. She thanked Merlin when the embarrassing questions ended; the ones that she would never dare exchange to anyone, unless of course she wanted them to leave her alone.

She celebrated the rest of the day indoors with Sirius talking about nothing and everything. She enjoyed his company and made him tell her some stories of the milder marauders misadventures. She especially enjoyed the one when her father and him had set a bunch of Munching Moths in the Slytherin Dungeons. These moths only ate hair follicles, which happened to cure Snivellus's grease problem.

She went to bed that night full with cake and took out the kitten socks. They were soft in her hands and she slipped a foot into one of them. Her toe felt something hard and she took off the sock to find a simple necklace with a wooden deer at the end and a note. The note read _it was your mother's _in Snape's precise hand writing. The wood felt smooth and was about the size of her thumb. She carefully tied the cord around her slender neck admiring it in the mirror. She wondered why Snape had something of her mother's. Well, they were still in the same year and she may have dropped it one day and he probably had kept it. It didn't matter now.

* * *

Harmony sat at the usual table on the café patio where she could relax and finish her tall glass of water. It was exceedingly hot that late afternoon, and she wore a loose red tank top and white shorts. Though the material was thin she felt it stick uncomfortably to her skin. A day had passed since her birthday and Ron and Hermione still hadn't sent anything to her. The heat forced many of the wizards and witches to escape indoors and she wanted to wait till it got a bit darker before heading back.

She was sucking on an ice cube when she heard a load crack to her far right. Harmony reacted instantly, pulling out her wand and crouching low under the table. After a few moments of silence, nothing still moved. She was tempted to hide in the café store, but figured that it would be more dangerous during night. She bit down on the ice cube, cracking it in half. Harmony crept through the side of the café towards the back further, away from the apparation. If she had been able to use magic she may have investigated, but she knew the Ministry wasn't too hot for her.

Harmony slinked behind the stores on the narrow back alley streets heading in the general direction of her flat. there was not a single wizard out as she made her way and it was all silent, save for the pounding of her heart and the taps of her footsteps. The sky overhead began to darken to a stormy black gray, and she hoped that it was a wizard shower or something, and nothing more.

The darkness spread as it devoured the lights that seeped through the windows. She broke out into a run when she felt the air plunge in degrees as her gasps turned frigid. She was close to the book store which was nearly at her flat. A darkness engulfed the narrow alleyway. A crack in the floor tripped her and she skidded over icy concrete. She didn't feel the pain as she saw the black cloak above her head reaching down for her with its gray rotting hands.

She couldn't think; where the hell was her wand? She felt dejection and misery fill her. A second Dementor rasped a sucking breath as she turned to flee. "_LUMOS._" She shouted, not knowing where her wand was. She wasn't sure if she saw a light. She heard high pitched screaming as they got closer to her. This couldn't be happening. She felt for a door, hoping that one would open, that one of these people would hear her. She couldn't breath. She choked on a scream.

It was like ice had gripped her throat, restricting her movements, corrosive to her skin. Everything was hopeless, and death would embrace her like it wanted to do nearly 14 years ago. Her eyelids drooped and she wondered if she heard something behind the laughter in her head. She wondered if she imaged the bright light that coursed through the air. She wondered if this was death.

But she knew that someone else was there, standing over her prone body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***End of chapter 7*** ….(I am evil). and thanks to all who reviewed, it guilted me to write more...*little chuckle*


	8. Chapter 8 the Protector

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer**: HP belongs to JK. PERIOD. And I kind of allude to Pinocchio…maybe.

Yae, after I posted the last chapter, I felt pretty bad…sorzies. (Like I should)

Chapter 8:The Protector

* * *

Heat seeped through Harmony's clothes, but it did not stop the cold, the desperation, or the shivers that stripped her body hollow. Something was pressing her wrist firmly. "_Episkey_," echoed in her ears as her brain reluctantly processed a deep low voice. _'What happened_?' she tried to form with her leaden lips, but a grown met her ears.

"The Ministry of Magic will be here soon," the voice streamed through. Nothing seemed right, and her brain hurt as if when she was five and Dudley had stepped on her head till she howled her throat raw. She could remember running, but not into a wall. "Damn Ministry letting dementors roam free." Oh right, the dementors. She tried to shoot her eyes open, but they lazily rose to the murky gray lights. A hand brushed away the hair from her eyes and slipped away as if caught in the act. Harmony looked into warm honey irises that shown brightly against the cold gray of the sky. His eyes flicked to where her scar had to be exposed and on reflex she brought a lethargic hand to cover it. A bandage covered her hand and red marred white.

"Don't move, you may be hurt elsewhere." She closed her eyes and tried to keep her mind blank. She was gently poked and only winced when there was a particular tender part of her stomach. From the silence an angry growl bounced off the alley walls.

"What is going on here?" Harmony's eyes opened from the familiar voice. She turned her head and Sirius as Padfoot growled on a lease held by an stone stiff Snape.

"It's k" Harmony whispered, and the young man tending her lifted both of his hands in a peaceful gesture and backed away. Sirius cautiously nosed the girl and his eyes were unreadable hollow pits.

"You better start talking, boy, before I make you in ways painfully and most definitely illegal."

"Sir, I work in that shop down there," he pointed where Snape and Sirius came from, "and I stood by the window when I felt something amiss. I hoped that no one was out there, but I heard a shout. I couldn't help but charge out and cast a Patronus charm when I saw the dementors over this young lady. I was just bandaging her wounds when you came along." His eyes flicked to the dog as Snape continued to stare him down and nodded his head in slow reluctance.

Harmony sat up with her back against a cool stone wall. She then noticed the thin black cloak draped over the lower half of her body. She looked up at the standing young man. He was an envious height a bit over six feet tall with a pale yellow shirt and tan pants that melded with his well built frame. His light burnt amber hair swept to his side to the length of his eyebrows. He had a rugged look with slight stubble that defined his square jaw. As if he felt her eyes he took his away from Sirius to rest on green. Only then did she catch herself, she had been checking him out. She abruptly turned to Sirius and hugged his dog form by hiding her face, at least she wouldn't be a deathly pale color anymore. She couldn't believe that she was behaving like such a girl.

She was almost glad to hear the cracks that announced the Ministry of Magic's investigators. There were three of them with wands up cramped in the little back alley. "There has been a dementor sighting not five minutes ago, please stay where you are while we confirm your names and tend to whoever may be injured." The middle of the three said as if he couldn't see Harmony on the ground. "You first, tell me who you are and what your role of action was," he said pointing at the one closest to them.

"My name's Leighton Kingscross, 18 years of age. I am the one that used the patronus charm to cast the dementors away."

"Oh, really now," one of the three said. "Suppose you can cast it again."

Without hesitation Leighton raised his wand a muttered the charm. A large bear cascaded from his wand and bounced off the walls till it disappeared to a misty glow.

"Not that many young wizards or witches can master that spell," Snape said with a hint of bored curiosity. "A feat meant for something I presume."

"Well, I do want to study to become an auror," Leighton replied ",but I feel it's something important that everyone should learn in dire-"

"And who may you be?" The investigator cut off.

"Severus Snape, potions master of Hogwarts. A fellow staff member has brought along a friend's daughter to Diagon Alley. I found her here, injured, while the incompetent Ministry of Magic asks questions since they failed to control their dementors, while she should be properly treated." He ended in a growl of annoyance. Harmony noticed Sirius slink away to retrieve her wand.

"Just let me get the last bit of information, and then you may get what you need." He pointed at Harmony. It was surreal that no one knew her name, that she was essentially no one and that if this even got in the paper, it would be lucky to be on the seventh page.

"I'm Harmony Maystone," she said weakly as the burning ice sensation lingered at her throat. "I was out at a café when I knew something was up, I ran through the back alley towards my flat, but I didn't know that they where there. The ice made me trip and my wand slipped somewhere, I don't really remember much after that."

"I see, well on behalf of the Ministry of Magic, we are sorry for any inconveniences or harm that may have come to any of you or your immediate family. If you chose, we will escort you to St Mungo's _Hospital_."

"No thank you," Snape ground out. "The ministry has done well enough for us already." Harmony sighed in relief.

"In that case, the Ministry will get back to you by owl when we register the story. Have a nice day." The three apparated and wisely left the two homicidal men.

There was a distinct mumbling of upsetting words coming from Snape's mouth, words that ought not be repeated, though were creative in their dimensions of using wands in their not so conventional uses of shoving them in improbable areas.

"It's still unsafe to be out." Snape said, ending his censored mumbling. "I need to get Minerva, and Dumbledore will surely know by now".

"I work at the book store, it's only me there tonight and you all are welcome to stay," Leighton said. Snape turned to him and regarded him with faint disdain.

"Perhaps, as long as Harmony can make it," Snape said, giving a slow singular nod.

"You know I can," she grumbled while steadily rising to her feet. She wondered why adults bothered to underestimate her, it only made her want to prove them wrong all the harder.

Before they entered the shop, dull flickering candle light trickled from the curtains of the residents' windows as they spied with swerving eyes the remains of the last light.

Leighton produced a silver key from his pocket and the door shuddered when unlocked. A faded green sign labeled 'The Bound Page' loomed over their heads as they entered. The room was lit by a dozen or so candles.

"Minervra is waiting in the apartment, I'll be back momentarily and trust that nothing further will commence," Snape gave them each the Snape Glare, well mostly towards Leighton, and left the room with his cape billowing for added effect.

The entirety of the events was barely able to process in her exhausted mind. Leighton stood before her and produced a cup of hot chocolate. She gave him a grateful turn of her lips as the steaming cup contrasted sharply against her frigid fingers. How had this happened? Dementors don't just appear like that. Sure she had a mad raving psycho killer and his troop of monkeys out for her blood, but no one else really wanted to kill her.

The numbing cold began to dissipate and pain began to radiate to her limbs. She wondered if this could be comparable to a wizard hangover. There was the forming headache, the confusion of what just happened, and the overall dread that she was screwed for life.

"So are you okay?" Leighton asked. There was a slight snort as Sirius gave a 'no shite' look, and yes dogs can look up. Harmony's eyes lifted to meet honey ones and she was glad that the blood circulating throughout her veins involuntarily decided to quicken, and the pounding of her heart assured her vivacity.

"You saved my life," she whispered as it began to dawn upon her.

"A little slow there," he laughed, giving a teasing smile. "You sure you didn't hit your head?"

Harmony folded her arms across her chest. "Well I was going to thank you, but considering I'm suffering from massive head trauma, I seem to have forgotten why."

He looked closer at her in a bit of surprise and a slow smile spread over his face. "In that case I'll look forward to you thanking me in the future, but I seem to be wrong about you, you are quite capable." Harmony took a sip from the rich hot chocolate as steam framed her face. Her thumb traced the cup handle and she allowed herself to relax. "That scar," he began waving to her forehead; immediately she drew in a quick breath, her mind scrambling for a smooth lie. "It looks remarkably like the scare on-"

"Harry Potter." They both jumped in their seats as someone stepped from behind a bookshelf. Harmony hissed as a trail of hot chocolate ran down her leg, and she glared at the Headmaster.

"Dumbledore," Harmony breathed out.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Leighton demanded while raising his wand and stepping in front of Harmony.

"Albus Dumbledore, from the front door of course," the elderly man said with an aloof smile.

"_The_ Albus Dumbledore the Head master of Hogwarts, it is an honor to meet you, sir." Leigton said giving a half bow to him. "I am Leighton Kingscross."

"Are you okay, Harmony?" Dumbledore asked and motioned for Leighton to sit.

"Yes professor."

"Very good then, I would still like to know what had happened from the two of you though." Harmony agreed and gave an abridged version of the story with Leighton taking over when he came in. All the while Dumbledore nodded his head without interruption.

"Peculiar that dementors would be out like that." He noted when it ended. The lines of his face sagged with age and weariness.

"Do you think that it was Voldemort?" Harmony asked and Leighton lifted an eyebrow.

"What?" Leighton looked at her curiously.

"I also agree, not everything bad is Voldemort's doing, someone is just pulling strings." Harmony did feel like a puppet half the time, she just wanted to be free, to be a real girl. No wait, boy.

"It just doesn't make sense." She huffed under her breath.

"I have to thank you for what you have done," Dumbledore said.

"It was nothing really, sir."

"Not many would have done the same, and Leighton, you have done this world a great favor. How old are you?"

"I am 18, sir. I graduated from Durmstrang about a year ago."

"You don't have a very strong accent," Harmony interjected.

"Oh, both my parents come from around here and moved east during the war, guess they liked it a lot over there, but I want to be here to help. I am sure they will need my services, so I'm trying my luck for the Ministry of Magic. I believe the Dark Lord has returned, and they definitely need aurors."

"Hmm, so you want to fight in the war." Dumbledore mumbled with a twinkle in his eye, which no one could see from the faint candle light. There was a knock at the door and it swung open. Sirius sprung from Harmony's side and tripped the man at the door. Dumbledore cast a wordless _lum_os spell and lit the room to see a fallen grumbling Snape and a grinning Padfoot on top of him.

"GET OFF ME, you stupid dog, you knew it was me." Snape barked out.

"Oh dear, honestly both of you act like such children," Minervra uttered. Sirius wagged his tail and repeatedly whacked an angry Snape on the head and leapt away before Snape could curse something precious off. Snape shot up and immediately went for his wand, but was thwarted by McGonagall. He looked sour for the rest of the night.

McGonagall went to Harmony and hugged her tightly. "I heard what happened and we will take you home immediately." Harmony's eyes drifted first to Dumbledore who nodded, and then to Leighton who appeared to be a bit amused.

"I have something to discuss further with Leighton, I will see you all soon." Dumbledore said as they made their way to the exit. Leighton got up to open the door for them and as they passed, Harmony handed him the cloak that he had placed on her to keep warm after the dementor attack.

"Thank you," she said quietly so that the others wouldn't hear, which of course they did.

"Keep it, the night is still cold." He said, and gave a hint of a smile before closing the door. She meant a thank you for saving her, but this was okay. She stared determinedly in front of her, careful not to meet any of the three pairs of eyes that shot her glances. He was right, it was cold and the too big jacket covered her thin clothes.

* * *

Dumbledore had stayed the night, and Harmony wondered what would change for her. She pulled on new clothes before heading into the kitchen and greeting her professors. Was it now unsafe to live here? What freedoms would be taken from her? No one said anything to her, as if they didn't want to tell her horrible news. She hated that.

"Don't tell me that I have to move back with the Dursleys." She said, unable to be patient. She could see it, her having her wand taken away and shut into that room for the rest of the summer. She could not trust how far the Dursleys change to her would mean. No. She would not go back.

"No, Harmony," Dumbledore said. "But we will leave this place, we do not want to draw attention to you." It was a small relief, but nothing to be certain of. "I will tell you the details soon, and we will leave tonight." It did not make sense, the less she knew, the less prepared she would be. It was her fight as well, and she wanted to stop Voldemort from killing anymore people. She ate her breakfast in silence.

After packing her scattered belongings, she told Professor McGonagall that she would be out. That was when she learned about the guards. She had people tailing her, she didn't know who, and on the night of the dementor attack, one of them had left her alone. That was the crack she had heard at the café. How reliable could these people be? She stepped out of the door in an ivory lace dress and silver flip flops. She made sure that she had her wand, since she probably didn't have a lot of time. In her hand was a black shopping bag with a cloak inside.

Harmony went to a little sandwich shop first for a small lunch before making her way to the dim little book shop labeled "Bound Pages". She had never been in that store besides last night and saw that it was a bit stuffy and uninviting. The door opened with a jingle from a graying bell held above the door. Harmony stepped into Hermione's dream heaven, shelves upon selves of book meet the ceiling all a variety of sizes, colors, and conditions. There were even couches and benches where people could read and relax.

"How may I help you miss," came a voice behind her. She spun around to her right in a bit of alarm but saw Leighton. "Ah, Harmony nice to see you well."

She shoved the cloak into his arms and went to leave the store. He began to laugh a bit and took her arm before she left. "Why are you leaving so soon without a hi?"

"Hi," she said and made to leave the store again.

"Wait, that's not what I meant."

"Don't you have work to do?" she asked.

"As you can see it's not busy." She did not want to humor him.

"_Fine_."

"So you need any books for your first year at Hogwarts?" He asked.

"What?" Her jaw dropped a bit. She could not believe this. This was just humiliating.

"Well isn't that why the headmaster Dumbledore was with you."

"I'm going into my fifth year, do I look like I'm eleven?" He wisely didn't answer that.

"Sorry, I just assumed." He scrutinized the girl in front of him, and gave a little snort.

"Hey," she said. "You think I'm a child huh, that I can't take care of my self, that I need people to rescue me, and shelter me from the evils of the world! What's WRONG with everyone, I'M NOT A WEAK LITTLE BOY!" She yelled the last part without thinking and huffed for breath while Leighton lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

"Harmony calm down."

The door opened between the two and Harmony wanted to howl out in more anger. She did not even know why she was so angry, it was like being a girl was making her three times more emotional. Yes she was frustrated with being withheld knowledge from Dumbledore, and she was peeved at her friends for ignoring her, oh and she was a sodding girl! But she usually didn't throw her anger around at this extent, at total strangers no less.

"Sorry to disturb you two," said a drawling voice, a voice that she all too well knew. She wanted to punch that face; she didn't want to see his arrogant smirk or his cold gray eyes. Just perfect.

They both turned towards him and he gave them a bored glance, then something lit up in his face. She saw his eyes glow with a predatory smirk. God, did she want to leave. "I just though you yelled that you were not a 'weak little boy', but that can't be right." She gaped at him, had she said that? Even Leighton turned to her. Damn that bloody prat!

"Can't you see that you ARE disturbing us," she ground out, hoping to distract him. Of course she could not, it was Draco Bloody Malfoy.

"I came here to buy something, not to watch you fight, though the 'watch you' part may be accurate," he gave her a smirk. "Cause it seems like such great entertainment, go on, continue why you shouted that you aren't a weak little boy." He continued to eye her, and laughed a bit in a self satisfied kind of way. It made her knuckles go white.

"Just tell me what you want." Leighton said and saved her momentarily again.

It was like Malfoy saw him there for the first time, like he was sizing him up and the odds were against him. He scowled and looked up at him; gray meeting honey, and overall dislike. Malfoy went into his robes and retrieved a small piece of parchment paper with tittles scribbled on them.

"I will be back with you in a moment," Leighton said and left the two in a hurry. Harmony made an attempt for the door, but Malfoy just stood in front of it in a bored manner picking at his pristine finger nails. He looked down at her and a lazy smug look filled his face. It was like he found the little prize in one of Duddley's cereal boxes. He stared into her green eyes, at her short untamed chopped hair, at the place where her scare would have been if her hair was not covering it up. _I know what you really are, Potter _repeated in her brain. That seemed like such a long time ago back on that train. What did he know?

"You look lovely in a dress." Oh God, she was turning pink in humiliation.

"Move," she said in a low voice. She did not have time to be ridiculed by him.

"I saw in the paper that there was a dementor attack last night, but it didn't give any details. Know anything about it?" He still had that smirk on. To anyone else it may have seemed like a topic like asking what the weather was like, but she knew him and the knife that he liked to plant at people.

"No; I don't like to read the _Daily Prophet_."

"Oh, of course you wouldn't like that newspaper, how silly of me to ask."

"You act as if you know who I am." She wished that she could plow right through him.

"Don't I?" he asked in feigned innocence. "You couldn't have forgotten me, and I know all of the pretty girls." He looked her up and down once more; it gave her the shivers to be seen so blatantly.

"I bet that you say that to everything with two legs and a skirt." She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"That's not true," he said and a single eyebrow rose on her face. "I only go after the black haired and green eyed ones; those ones really rile me up." He laughed at her startled expression. "Well, if you have forgotten me, the name's Draco Malfoy." How could she forget? Not after years of torture and petty fights. No. Never. He waited for her reply, and she knew she was being rude.

"Sorry, never heard of you." His smirk lessened a centimeter.

"So what's your name?"

"It's none of your business." His left eye gave a bit of a twitch; maybe this was not so bad.

"I believe it was Harmony, right?" he asked.

"What? How did you know?" Now this was getting scary, did Malfoy develop mind raping skills from Snape?

"Your…friend said it before I came in," it seemed that the word _friend_ tasted bitter to him.

"Will you just move, you are blocking the door way."

"Really? I had no idea." He said in a mock sincere voice and moved an inch from the door. He really was asking for it.

"Why do you have to be such a prat, just get out of my way!" She pulled out her wand.

"You don't want to do that and get expelled from Hogwarts this year," he said in a uninterested kind of manner "Then I will be bored all year, plus I don't think I could control my father if you do something to me, he can get pretty mean to those he doesn't like."

"I don't care if I get a years worth of detention, and I could do other things with this wand, like shove it up your pompous arse!" He gave her another smirk.

"That's no way for a lady to talk, and I didn't know you had a fixation for my a-"

"Here are your books, sir." Leighton cut him off holding four worn out books. Malfoy grabbed them without looking at them and gave him a sack of coins.

"Keep the change," he said and on his way out he turned to her, "I'll look forward seeing you on the Hogwarts Express."

"Yeah, whatever," she muttered.

"God, he is so infuriating," Harmony said when the bell stopped jingling when Malfoy left.

"He seemed to like you."

"Ugg, he likes to torment me, and does a good job at it. Sorry Leighton, I got to go, but thanks, Thank you for everything."

He gave her a full grin, "Hopefully I will see you soon." She waved at him as she walked through the door that gave a halfhearted jingle. She didn't even catch herself smiling at nothing.

* * *

end of chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9 the Press

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer**: I am really flattered that you thought I am JK Rowling, but I am required to tell you that really I'm not. I'm just pretending to be her as I borrow her characters and do strange things to them like switch their gender and things like that. I'd also like to say a special thanks to my editor/cowriter/sister RenIggy, who was deeply angered at my lack of spelling and slow progress, and who took matters into her own hands.

**Chapter 9: The Press**

* * *

Harmony was amused to see a poorly spelled rendition of the dementor attack the day before in the _Daily Prophet_. Not that she regularly read the _Daily Prophet_, the paper was conveniently discarded like used rubbish and left at the table where she sat for her afternoon butterbeer and macadamia nut ice cream. She barely noticed the paragraph long article located as it was in the back corner of page seven. The article announced that a certain Dolores J. Umbridge was sacked from her position in the ministry due to her involvement in illegal dementor activities that lead to the dangerous attack upon a young Helga Maywood, who was visiting Diagon Alley with a Hogwarts professor.

Yet it was due to his bad press, and the fear that the Prophet would do some digging and uncover unfortunate truths that Harmony had her own issues to prepare for the day.

"Where is Dumbledore?" Harmony had asked when she returned from her obnoxious Malfoy encounter and ice cream recovery session. Not that she particularly needed more attention from certain interfering old wankers, like more sex changes, she just wanted answers. It didn't make things any better that her lower stomach kept on acting up either.

"He is meeting us there, and we will have company soon, you better change." McGonagall said as she got a better look at the girl in front of her. "You look a bit riled up, is the wind strong?"

"No," she said, thinking about how she had no answers and too much prying in her life at the moment. She left them and locked the door to her room and went to her luggage bags. She had not needed to open this bag all summer. Piles of unfolded clothes and books were littered inside. She held out a man shirt and embraced one; it had been much too long. McGonagall had not so much said a word against the man cloth as much as she gave concerned looks, which were worse than words.

However, leaving the flat meant locking away Harmony, and she didn't know whether that thought appealed to her or not.

Harmony wasn't quite sure if the advance guard of Moody, Lupin, the purple haired Tonks, Emmeline, Sturgis, Hestia, Kingsley, McGonagall, Severus and Sirius in dog form were quite necessary for the short trip from Diagon Alley, to some house nearby in London. But so it was that this party of eleven ventured off. The distance was actually so short that they traveled the muggle way, the ten guard members staring at the unfortunate muggles on board like they were about to suddenly sprout fangs to bite Harmony's head off. There was a slight misunderstanding about whether large shaggy dogs were allowed on public buses, which was neatly sorted out with a pinch of strange green powder that made the bus driver smile wide and focus intently on driving. After the first stop several suddenly smiling muggles realized that it was time to get off the bus. It was a good thing they chose to do so, because after the third minute, Moody began getting antsy, his eye swiveling erratically, mumbling in a mostly incomprehensible fashion. Harmony picked out the occasional word such as "death," "impending doom" and "impalement."

Fifteen minutes later the eleven of them were staring at two ordinary muggle houses on Grimmauld's place. Severus showed Harmony a paper with an address which Moody promptly burned, and when Harmony looked up from this display of arson there was a dark little house there that wasn't quite there before.

Once inside, Sirius popped into his human form to say, "We're having a meeting now Harm…y, see you at dinner."

"But where-"

"Ron and Herminone should be upstairs dear," McGonagall reassured Harmony, before she and the rest of the advance guard began to walk over to a distant room.

Before Harmony could even think of feeling confused or annoyed she heard a flurry of footsteps.

"HARRY! Ron he's here! How are you? Oh I hope you aren't mad with us, I know our letters were bullocks, but Dumbledore made us promise, and oh we missed you so much!" Herminone said beaming. "Come upstairs, we have so much to tell you, and I bet you have so much to tell us!" And Harmony found herself half pulled half hugged by a grinning Hermione. Ron, to Harmony's great dismay had grown a few more inches during the summer, while Harmony was sure that she had shrunk. It took off the edge to her happiness at seeing her friends.

"So really, how was your summer, we want to know everything." Hermione said with a smile.

Harmony's face fell as she thought of telling them about underwear shopping with McGonagall. What could she tell them? "Oh you know, Dursleys. The usual."

"Hermione and I have had a bloody brilliant time."

"Oh, really."

"Uhh yeah, well Ron and I have just been hanging around the Order, nothing special really."

'The Order?"

"The Order of the Pheonix, Dumbledore's special army like he had in the old days fighting against you-know-who. They meet here and discuss strategies and plans. And mum says we're too young, but Fred and George developed these ear things to help us listen in-so we know something's up with the giants!"

"Ron." Hermione said in an undertone, that Harmony nevertheless heard.

"Uh-huh."

"Yea! And they are always charting maps and sometimes mum forgets to put them away before dinner and we saw one of cliffs near some pond or something, and it must have been pretty important judging by how hard mum smacked me away."

"Well couldn't you have written any of this in a letter?" Harmony asked, unaware that her voice was getting higher.

Hermione looked a little uncomfortable. "Well we wanted to, but Dumbledore-"

"And why did you listen to him?" There was a silence. Harmony began to feel a strange heat all over her face and behind her eyes.

"Harry what are saying?" Hermione laughed.

"Yea, are you thick or something? This is Dumbledore we're talking about."

"Yeah, I'm sure Dumbledore just has your best interest in mind."

"Do you even KNOW what you're talking about? Are you going to let him CONTROL you like this?" Ron and Hermione just stared. "You don't even know what he's DONE TO ME!"

Two loud cracks announced the apparation of Fred and George, who attempted to merely materialize in the center of the room, and who instead landed on Ron and Harmony's laps.

"Hey Harry!" Harmony was not pleased with having a hundred and seventy pound boy landing on her prepubescent frame.

"Wow Harry, when did you start smelling so nice?"

"Get off of me."

"But wait, is that Vanilla witch number 5?"

"Get, off NOW!" Harmony screeched with a shove that did nothing. George stood up quick.

"Okay then. I know a little listen will cheer you up." Fred said holding up a pair of mutilated ears.

The extendable ears worked their way down to the crease between the door.

They heard Lupin's voice, muffled by static say: "I'm worried about Harry too but that—"

"But we have no way of knowing what's going on behind the scar in that boy's head. We don't know what the Dark Lord might be doing to him." Mad-eye said in an impassioned voice, followed by a collection of gasps both upstairs and down in the meeting room.

"Harry…" Suddenly the fear in those four pairs of eyes was too much for her.

Harmony needed to get away, get anywhere. Harmony stormed up the stairs past a row of decapitated house elf heads into an attic that looked like a storage room for the dark arts and dust. Harmony started to hit things, pleased at the billowing shower of dust she made- dust which made it harder to notice when the drops of blood started streaming down her delicate knuckles. When Harmony finally noticed her blood, for some inexplicable reason, wetness started to form in her eyes, which evolved into a steady silent stream down her face.

"Harry?" Harmony turned in surprise, then realized her mistake.

"Oh shite, Ginny."

"I heard what they were saying downstairs, well, that you are possessed by you-know-who." Harmony looked down to the floor. "But that's bullocks. I remember Riddle's Diary, what it did to me, but that doesn't make you evil Harry." Harmony continued to stare at the floor, wishing she knew how to turn off the damn faucet in her eyes.

"Their eyes won't leave me." Harmony whispered. Ginny walked over and pulled Harmony into her arms. "These feelings… maybe something is controlling me. Ginny, I just don't know who I am anymore, like I'm just split." Ginny just kept on holding her. Harmony didn't know how long she cried there.

"Harry… sorry to ruin the moment, but you're bleeding."

"Yeah, I punched some walls, tried to get it out."

"Um. Not there." Ginny pointed downward.

"F-ck…Ginny there's something I think I should tell you, and it's going to sound incredibly strange..."

"Yeah? What?" Ginny asked.

"I'm actually a girl." Ginny looked at her as if Potter had grown two heads and a mustache.

"You're joking, right?"

"I wish." Ginny looked at the other girl's flat chest before touching it for herself.

"Ginny!" Harmony leaned away, unable to stop her blush of embarrassment, "stop it!"

"You must be kidding." Harmony rolled her eyes before wiping off her Harry Potter face cream mask. She tucked away the glasses, and faced the other girl.

"I know, it's terrible," Harmony said.

"Shite," Ginny covered her eyes, "what did you do to yourself?"

"Hit puberty," Harmony shrugged her shoulders, "and became a girl."

Ginny shook her head in disbelief, "what the hell? When did this happen?"

"After the Triwizard tournament, er...Dumbledore told me, but it's a secret."

"Holy shite, Harry! This is crazy. Ron and Hermione don't know, right?"

"Yeah, and I'm keeping it that way." Ginny looked at Harmony with a frown.

"You would have never told me then?" Harmony sighed and nodded. "Damn, why not?"

"Because it's embarrassing! Hell, it's a nightmare just for me to accept it, let alone the madness that would happen if it got out. I don't want things to change right now. Just this once, I don't want- I don't know- to be so..." Harmony put her head in her hands, feeling torn. She wanted to tell Ron and Hermione, but she couldn't. They had been friends with her for too long, if they found out, it wouldn't be the same. She was trapped.

"Known?" Ginny finished for her. "With your business as everybody's personal amusement." Harmony shrugged her shoulders in defeat. She didn't want to be the boy who lived.

* * *

*end of chapter 9*


	10. Chapter 10 the Proposal

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer:** Yes you found me out. I am JK Rowling and I am the author of Harry Potter. Wait, my lawyers advised me to revise that statement. Yup. Not me.

**Chapter Ten: the Proposal**

* * *

Harmony rested her head against a pane of glass on the Hogwarts Express, with eyes vaguely aware of moving greenery. She felt lucky that she and Ginny had found a compartment, and that Ron and Hermione had left for prefect duty. She was determined not to think about the looks she had received since she stepped on the train. She wasn't going to think about the dotty Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood, wearing radish earrings and reading an upside down magazine who was sharing their train compartment. Harmony's mind was completely and utterly focused on tranquility and nothing was going to bother her.

"Hello lovely ladies." Someone's voice had penetrated her sanctuary. Harmony's eyebrow twitched. _I will not think about the owner of that voice, I will not acknowledge him. Will not…will not._

"Get out, you git." _Damn it. I_ _am a calm lake, a flowing butterfly in the breeze._

"Watch it Potter, or I'll have to give you detention one of these dark and lonely nights." Malfoy said with a flick at his new prefect badge.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ginny asked calmly. Malfoy smirked and took an empty seat directly across from Harmony.

"Just wondering how Potter has been since our last run in at the bookstore." Harmony turned from the window to see steel eyes locked in on her face. No. He continued to scrutinize her as if seeing the girl under her mask. He couldn't know, not even her best mates figured it out, and they spent half the summer together. This had to be some joke he was playing at. He wouldn't stop gazing. No. He knew.

"How?" Harmony started then changed her mind "No, you better get your _eyes_ checked because I don't recall your annoying face."

"Yeah, Harry was staying with his relatives and then with my family the entire summer," Ginny said as she swished her eyes from the two. Luna continued to read as if oblivious of the intruder.

"Keeping secrets now? I didn't think that you could contain yourself, just be careful you don't hurt your friends like that. Wouldn't want that now." Malfoy cast an air of his usual hubris. "But I don't mind if you keep our encounters secret."

Harmony chewed her bottom lip, unaware that she would make them appear pinker and swollen. He did not stop watching her. She was so tempted to lift her leg and kick him in the chest, but she could not. She could only narrow her eyes in annoyance and fold her arms in front of her chest. "What do you want from me?" she sighed. Why was he doing this, it just didn't make sense. Was this a game to him, to get her angry so then they could fight.

"Tonight, meet me outside of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Room. Be there alone by midnight, and don't worry, I won't punish you for wandering the halls past curfew." Draco Malfoy got up. "Damn, prefects duty," he mumbled. "Don't forget," he said as he went out of the door with a smirk set on his face, "our rendezvous."

The door clicked as it closed and the three girls sat in a momentary silence. "What the hell just happened?" Ginny asked. "Why would he want to meet you, and why was he acting so strange?"

"I think nothing is wrong with him. I think he just wants to flirt with Harry here. Half the Hogwarts population wants to anyway, even the male ones." Came a voice from behind a glossy page.

"I always wondered why he was so interested in you all of these years, but I never thought it was because he's a poof." Ginny said with a huff of air.

"Ginny, I think he knows." Harmony whispered as her right hand tangled with her messy short hair. "I did see him at a bookstore, and he never acted like _that_ before." Harmony ended with a wild gesture of her hands.

"But how would he know? It's not like you were walking around in drag." There was a lingering silence that was only disturbed by a rustling of a page being flipped as Harmony recalled a certain flowing cream colored sundress. "No, way!" Ginny whispered. Harmony's checks began to sprinkle a ruddy hue. "Oh, Merlin, that must have been a treat. Hey! I want to see too!" Ginny pouted. "Please!"

"Maybe someday, but that doesn't explain why he knows," Harmony hit the back of her cushioned bench chair with her head, repeatedly.

"Well, is there anyone that he is close to and who knows?" Harmony thought for a moment, less than a handful of people knew.

"Snape," she said with almost absolute certainty. Malfoy practically ate out of Snape's hands.

"Maybe…" Ginny mumbled. At the seat closest to the door, a muffled laugh came from colorful magazine pages.

Harmony returned to blindly watching the moving scenery, trying to regain her tranquility. They had already changed into their Hogwarts robes, and the sky turned inky with purples and oranges. She could still catch the subtle scent that strayed from the unoccupied seat in front of her. It was a mixture of soap, mint, fresh laundry, and something else she couldn't identify.

The door shot open and Ron slid on to the seat across from Harmony with Hermione. Harmony brushed her head against the glass, the room was getting much too stuffy for some reason.

"Blimey, Malfoy is such a git!" Ron announced to no one in particular. "He can do what ever he damn well pleases, and they all act like it's perfectly acceptable!"

"Ron, lay off it, he only wants to make himself feel better by belittling others, so just ignore what he says, that's what I try to do." Hermione patted Ron on the knee. Harmony wanted to drown them out of her head, she was already forming a headache.

"So who do you think will be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year?" Hermione asked.

"It can be anyone so long as it isn't Snape!" Ron flapped his jaw up.

"I for one hope that this professor is hot, so that I have something to look at during class," Ginny added with a faint smile.

"Ginny!" Ron expressed in a mild reprimanding tone. He waited a few moments till he said "well, I hope that the new professor is a good looking witch, so that I won't mind getting punished during night detentions."

"Ron!" Hermione gasped.

"Oh! Well then, I hope that she looks like a toad then, right Harry." Ron corrected himself. Harmony nodded her head and closed her eyes. She was much too glad when the two left her to close her eyes and wait for the train ride to end.

* * *

"What are those things?" Harmony asked as she saw a demon looking horse situated in front of the carriage that they were about to board. "They were never here before."

"What things?" Ron asked as he squinted in the dark.

"The thing right in front of you Ron," Luna said.

"Gah!" Ron uttered a faint squeal "….I don't see anything."

"Those are thestrals, and only those who have witnessed death can see them." Luna announced to the small cluster.

_Cedric Digory_. Harmony had tried not to think about him all summer. _The one who I had lead to death_. _Never again. I don't want to see their eyes, or hear when they say it wasn't my fault. It was. _

She trained her eyes away from the creatures who looked like death's mount as she boarded the carriage. She sat squished between Ron and Ginny and tried to listen to Ron and Hermione's conversation, a lot of times she needed distractions.

* * *

"Harry where were you? You missed the entire sorting hat's song," Hermione asked as Harmony sat across from her between Ron and Neville on the extended bench. Ginny eyed her from where she sat a few seats from Hermione.

"The loo," Harmony replied while giving a coerced half grin. Of course she couldn't say exactly why she had been in there, not for the reason that it was inappropriate dinner conversation but because she was in there for her period. It had been an unwelcome surprise three days back when she found the blood once again. She couldn't believe that girls had this _every_ month, it was the worst punishment she could think of. She had cramps now and the onset of a headache was beginning to form at the top of her head. It was almost intolerable. "What was the song about this time?"

"Some bullocks that the houses should unite during dark times," Ron answered. "Can you imagine the Slytherins being all cozy with us? It's completely mental!" More names were called to be sorted.

"Yeah, that's a good laugh." Neville joined in, "With P-professor Snape leading them in with his g-giant nose." Ron laughed and back slapped Neville, hitting Harmony in the process.

Harmony noticed with the usual low whispering there were high pitched squeals and giggling throughout the room. She also saw some people pointing towards the staff table, and then she knew why. A new face had joined the Hogwarts staff, a face with a charming smile. He had umber brown hair and from where she sat, she could see his honey colored irises and tan skin. He looked to be in his late twenties and also thankfully did not look like Lockheart's lost twin. She could agree with the girls that he was indeed striking.

"Bloody hell, these girls are giving me a migraine. Why are they going wild?" Ron said.

"I believe it is for the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione replied, "and I believe that he is going to need to know some defense against the female population, or they are going to eat him alive."

"What!" Ron turned to the staff table, and sure enough he frowned. "These girls have wonderful specimens of men here, but they have to go and chose teachers, right Harry."

"Yeah, all they need is you here Ron." Harmony said with a smile.

"Hey, that better not be sarcasm," Ron pouted.

"Never, my dearest bestest most handsomest friend of all these lands, would I ever be sarcastic to you."

"That's what I thought." Ron joined in on the smiling.

Names were still being called as Harmony watched the line of first years diminish. Her eyes began to drift. To the Ravenclaw table, Cho Chang was conversing with some of her friends. She didn't look as pretty as Harmony once thought she did. To Luna Lovegood who was still reading that magazine. Harmony's eyes involuntarily drifted towards the Slytherin table, to a certain blond in particular. She noted that she was not alone in eyeing him as Draco Malfoy caught the attention of many of the new slytherin girls.

He was talking or chastising Theodore with a straight back and an intimidating glare. His gray eyes closed and he turned his head slightly so that now he directly faced her. He had allowed his hair to settle across his forehead and end near his eyes. She wasn't sure of how to deal with him anymore. It was simple before, just a mutual dislike. He opened his eyes and looked right at her. Harmony turned away. She didn't know anymore.

The last name was called, a name that Harmony immediately forgot, and the little girl scampered to the Ravenclaw table to join a concentration of excited first years. Dumbledore stood in the middle of the staff table to stare at all of his students. "To our newly arrived students," Dumbledore called out with his eyes buzzing with glee like that of a toddler in a candy shop "welcome! To our returning students- welcome back! There is a time for speeches, but this is not it. Bon appétit!"

There was an outbreak of applause as piles of food materialized on all the long tables. Children laughed in delight as their favorite foods were scrapped onto their plates. Potatoes, meat pies, vegetables, chicken legs, a whole roast pig, creamy soups, spaghetti, pumpkin juice, and an assortment of fruits weighed the table down.

Harmony soon realized that the best way to alleviate her cramps was to eat a little of just about everything. Her plate piled with much missed foods.

"My Harry, do you have an appetite." Ron said with a mouth full of chicken breast. She could swear that Ron had little to no tact. Did he have any sympathy for the plight of the undersized prepubescent boy making his journey to womanhood? Harmony could swear that her ovaries had grown claws and were doing a number on her delicate woman parts.

"Well Ron, I plan to grow three inches by the end of this month, and four by the next. I am a growing boy, you know."

"Ron, look at you, you ate half the table yourself," Hermione interjected. Harmony just then caught the identical half smiles of Fred and George, who sat diagonal from them. Seconds later a first year shot up as his drink exploded into rainbow dust and butterflies. Harmony joined in on their smiles.

Harmony felt eyes burning through the back of her softer yet still short hair. Every time she looked behind her, even though she couldn't see who was glaring, she saw a certain smirk get bigger and bigger. It had to be Malfoy. Ron and Hermione gave her a funny look, to which she replied, "someone keeps staring at me."

"Dude, you are Harry Potter, of course someone will."

"Even the teachers are staring at you Harry." And sure enough they were. Even Snape had his black gaze set on her. She suddenly wished she could be Harmony, unknown, unfamous.

A voice stung through Harmony's thoughts.

"Now that we are all properly engorged, I am happy to announce the newest member to our Hogwarts staff." Dumbledore paused at the sound of half of the student population's uncontrollable fit of giggles and squeals. "This year we welcome Professor Kingscross who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. I would also like to remind you that the following items are forbid-"

"Kingscross, kingscross," Harmony mumbled staring at the honey eyes, "where have I heard that before?"

"Silly, that's the muggle station we use before boarding the Hogwarts express," Hermione supplied.

"But why would a wizard be named after a muggle station?"

"They must have been powerful wizards to build and monitor that gateway to Hogwarts."

* * *

"Why?" She wondered out loud, mindful of the four snoring boys. She sat atop her bed, waiting for twelve. It had only been two short months but this room didn't have its same appeal. Her surroundings were familiar, yet altered in some way. Like meeting an old friend again to find that though the face was familiar the friendship was gone. Or maybe it was the noise. Harmony didn't recall the snores of her slumber mates being quite so magnified.

_What did Draco Malfoy want? _The face cream was beginning to peel and crinkle away from her skin and she wondered if she would even go as a boy. He already knew. She didn't have to masquerade for him. Her eyes shut. Did she even want to know what he wanted? She could always just not show up and avoid him.

At that moment Ron emitted a particularly loud snore.

_Ughh._ A tiny part of her wanted to. A persuasive part that didn't always listen to reason. She wanted to know what was his problem. Why he had to mess her up at every possible moment.

Her wand alarm vibrated, announcing the stroke of twelve. Harmony clamored from her bed to leave the room.

The Defense Against the Dark Arts room was situated between the two houses and Harmony was glad not to encounter any teachers along the way. She brought her hand to her face and brushed off the remnants of her face cream.

She ambled through the dark halls. _Who does Malfoy think he is? Ordering me around like this?_ She thought with annoyance. She neared the hall to the room_. Him and his conceited fat head that I want to-_

Something latched to her wrist drawing her into a dark shadow. She was about to scream when cool fingers covered her lips. Her heart raced. The hand lowered. "You're late, Potter," whispered into her ear.

"What the, Malfoy get your hands off me." He spun her so fast Harmony fell against his chest. Her eyes traveled to what should have been his face, but she saw nothing. She didn't need to. "Let go," she lowered her voice, her arms were trapped.

"I see you have dolled up for me, an improvement if I have ever seen one from you," Draco whispered as he rested a hand to her lower back. She wished that she wore a cloak or something to cover her thin pajamas. She glared up at him, at the darkness.

"I figured that I wouldn't play games with you and pretend to be something I'm not, saves us the trouble. So let go, I won't run away." She had previously thought that the Malfoys were cold blooded, cold everything. The only thing cold was the darkness.

"I don't think so, I like you where you are." Harmony's mind went blank, she hated to be controlled, to have someone think that they could use her.

"Stop it." She shot at him, struggling to get away. How did he get so strong? She wanted to howl with frustration. When did she get so weak? He held her tighter. "Ugg," she stopped moving, figuring that the faster she got this done the better. "You probably won't tell me how you found out that I am a girl, so tell me what you want and then leave me alone."

"I don't know if I can leave you alone now, Potter," Draco replied in a smoothness much like that of snake scales. "I assume that you don't want others to know, I just want to compromise with you," he waited a moment before continuing. "I don't want to fight with you for the rest of these years, I can be your friend."

A scene when they were only eleven plastered against her mind, of a younger Draco asking her to be friends, and herself as a young boy rejecting his hand. She could make out parts of his face, she knew that he was serious, but something was behind his proposal.

He let go of her arms and cast that hand to her waist. She could reject him again. She would have done that easily too three months ago. She could have laughed at him and punched his sorry arse.

But she didn't.

"I don't know if it's even possible. But we can start by not getting at each other's throat." Right after she said that, she knew that he was smirking, and she knew that was about to comment on the 'at each other's throat' bit.

But he didn't.

Even though she couldn't see him, she knew that he was smiling. And then light slapped her eyes shut.

"What are you two doing?"

Immediately his arms went slack and she pushed away from him. He was still in his robes and she saw his placid expression. She could imagine the scene they were making, all glued together and she began to fight her brain for excuses. Nothing was all she could come up with. It was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"I am escorting this first year back to her dorm," Draco tried half heartedly. Harmony was tempted to shout in protest at the 'first year' part. She gave a light snort.

"You mean Harry Potter here?" The professor asked, leaning back against the hallway wall.

Harmony drew in a sharp breath before closing her eyes. This could not be happening. Draco stood rigid along the wall, watching the two.

"No, that's not who I am."

"Harmony then," the professor said, through the silence her name bounced around in her head and as if it echoed through the hall. Behind Harmony's back, Draco narrowed his eyes. "Is there a problem here?"

"No, sir." Draco said in a cold tone.

"Then off to bed the both of you." Draco Malfoy slinked away into darkness. Harmony took a few steps then turned around. She caught up with the professor at his door.

"How do you know who I am? Dumbledore going around letting the entire faculty know?" He faced her and she took in his brawny frame, his imposing height. But he did not give off an aggressive air.

"No, Dumbledore's keeping your secret. We've already met."

"Well I have _never _seen you before," Harmony protested.

"That's a little hurtful considering I saved your life."

"What." Harmony gave the professor a hard look, taking in his broad chest, umber short bed head hair, square rugged jaw line, and honey colored eyes. "Oh. Leighton."

"A little slow there." Leighton gave a wide grin, and Harmony watched as seven years evaporated from his face.

"What are you doing here? And how did you do that?"

"What, no hi, how's it going, nice to see you again?" he grinned even more as she gave him a pointed stare. "Fine, Dumbledore hired me, apparently there's a shortage of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors willing to take a job at Hogwarts. And as to how I did that, I'm a wizard Harmony. I can do magic."

"Ha ha, tell me really."

"Come into my office, I'll show you." Leighton stepped aside and swept a hand to towards his room. Leighton sat down in a pine green over stuffed chair, next to a jar of Honeydukes Finest atop his desk. He leaned back into his armchair and motioned for her to sit in another overstuffed chair. Though he filled his seat, Harmony could barely touch the floor with her feet and she had ample room to spare. She looked around to see large medieval weapons lined on the walls and what looked to be rolls of blue and red padding stacked upon shelves. The door shut on its own.

"What's all this for, er, professor?" Harmony asked as she directed a finger to the walls of weaponry. She did not want to know if he would somehow torture the kids in detention.

"Well, I happen to like them, but you will find out in good time. Now how have you been concealing your appearance? Polyjuice? Charms? Potions? Face Creams?"

"Face cream."

"Ah, sticky stuff with a faint odor of dead skin, peels off at the end of the day. This," he said waving his hand in front of his face reverting to a younger looking self about seven years of difference "is much more convenient." Leighton continued to wave his hand back and forth switching between the two faces.

"Okay. How do you do it?"

"Easy. Wandless magic. It's all about taking the focus away from the wand and using the mind's power, the mind's memory as a means to control magic. In this case it is superimposing the image in your mind onto your face. A strong intent of concealing and protecting your face is also mandatory. Now you try." Harmony closed her eyes and her mind filled with Harry Potter, the planes of his cheeks, the glasses… she had grown up with that face, the many facets of Harry Potter all of the misery, the loneliness, the pressure, and the boyish fun. A headache began to form and her face shot up in heat. It was too much to picture, and yet so familiar.

"Not bad for a first try. It'll get easier with practice. At the end of my class, most kids should master wandless magic basics—stopping projectile weapons when the wand is out of hand; that kind of thing. But I'm willing to teach you more, if you want."

"Of course I do." Harmony said.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah, how old are you really?" He gave another of his wide smiles.

"Eighteen."

"How long have you been eighteen?"

"A while."

"How long of a while?" Harmony searched his honey colored eyes, glinting gold in the torch light.

"Uh…since April."

"Oh…."

"Now go to bed, its past twilight and it's a new moon tonight."

* * *

Hehe… end of chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11 the Practice

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer: **Po-po-po-potter boy po-potter's not mine. Du du du du. Po-po-po-poker face not mine either-er-er. er.

**Chapter 11: the Practice**

* * *

Harmony strode through the halls making her way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. It was the first day of lessons and she had spent the early morning attempting to transfigure her face. She brushed a hand against her chin and felt the pasty face cream making her Harry Potter. It was almost too easy to fool people, to fool her Gryffindor mates. It was like all they saw was what they wanted to see, to see the great Harry Potter, their savior; but there is always something beneath the surface.

A faint sob traveled to Harmony as she saw a group of stricken Ravenclaw girls huddled together. They were coming from Leighton's classroom. She glimpsed again at her schedule at frowned at how many classes the Slytherins and Gryffindors shared. Everything about the two houses polarized. Dumbledore must be taking the sorting hat song to heart, or else he's just a sadistic dotard.

Upon entering the classroom, she was glad to see that the majority of students in their seats were wearing the red and gold color scheme to their school uniform. She soon spotted Ron in a far left desk along the wall and plopped down beside him. "Hey Harry, I didn't catch you at breakfast."

"Oh, I was taking my time getting ready, anything happen?" Harmony asked as she placed her head against the fine wood of the desk.

"Rotten luck to be with the Slytherins this year," Ron whispered as to not be heard, "and luckily the Slytherin Prince isn't here yet."

"Slytherin Prince?" Harmony wondered, already expecting who said person was.

"Bloody Malfoy that is, I heard some of the first years talking about him in the great hall during breakfast. Makes me wonder why the girls go raving mad after him. Slytherin Ponce or Prat fits him like a leather glove. Ugh. Speak of the devil." Draco strut in the classroom, the image of immaculate perfection, well externally at least. Still with her head down Harmony caught herself following him with her eyes, but not before he noticed and winked at her. She closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to think of the previous night.

Leighton's office door, which happened to be connected to his classroom, burst open from an obvious kick from Leighton whose arms were preoccupied carrying wrapped objects. The last of the student stragglers bounded in and Hermione came along with Neville to sit in a desk in front of Ron and her. "Damn Slytherins cornered him, and shoved him in the girls' loo," Hermione whispered angrily. "Don't know why Dumbledore just cannot separate us entirely-"

"Good Morning, class," Leighton's voice boomed throughout the room, ending all side conversations. He stood firmly in the center of the room eyeing each student. Harmony lifted her head along with a few students who sat up a bit straighter. From one of the cloths that he held he pulled out large handle with a chain at the end, connected to the chain was a large spiked metal sphere." I understand," he said as he lifted the mace well above his head and progressed to swing it in long circles, "that you've covered dueling, magical creatures, and forbidden curses."

All of the students in the front row leaned as far away as they possibly could in their seats. Eyes were warily following the moving sphere. "But," Leighton said and let out a small 'whoops' as the spinning mace left his hand, straight for Goyle's head. Many students screamed and ducked, and Goyle sat stupidly watching the hurtling object. The mace was stopped an inch from his head, as if grabbed by an invisible hand that suspended the entire weapon in air. "What have you all learned about actually defending yourself?" The mace traveled back to Leighton, and the students then noticed that he was not in fact using a wand.

"Now if there happens to be a mace hurling at your head, you can't spend the time thinking about a spell name, or take the time to say that spell name. If you did, then you would never even need to use that pretty little head again." Leighton covered his mace with loving care before replacing it with a sledge hammer. "If you want a class that involves only the use of text books, then go to a muggle school, because this is a class where you will learn to survive in a world where wizards won't always stand against each other and take turns aiming and firing. Many wizards will fight dirty." Leighton took a few steps to a now vacated desk. "Your wand may not always be with you, and they will use that against you."

He lifted the sledge hammer way into the air before bringing it down again in a crack of splinters. "Oh, and if I see any of you using what I teach against each other when not in class, I will personally make you regret it." He wrenched the large hammer out of the demolished desk with the ease of an expert. "We won't be needing desks in my class." There was a stunned silence where they half expected their new teacher to start hurtling weapons at them. They also soon saw that all throughout the walls were covered with all sorts of blades, spheres, cross bows, knives, rods, hooks, needles, axes, hammers, and some weaponry from muggle wars. The unfortunate students at the front saw, from within the darkness of his closet, the silhouette of some kind of unmistakable torture devise.

"Now, first order of business, I want each student to destroy the desk that you and your partner share, but without the use of magic. If you chose not to use your bare hands, you may take a hammer. If I see any wand movement, you will give me fifty muggle pushups." From a small wooden box from the front, he pulled out a faded red crate of hammers. "I also do not want to see hammers thrown at other students. Or wood splinters for that matter. The desk is the target, not each other. Now begin."

Students timidly walked up to the front and eyed the hammer they were given. Only Crabbe opted to use his meaty fists, which accounted to a howl of pain, and snickers from the Gryffindors. There were hollow taps throughout the room, like the sound of screws nailed to walls. "Hmm, I thought that you all would be overjoyed to vandalize school property," Leighton said a minute later to the pathetic hammering.

Hermione raised her hand high above her head. Leighton nodded at her to respond. "It's just that we never had to use physical force without magic, what is the point for this task if we are witches and wizards?"

"Ah, you must be Miss Granger. It has come to my attention that most of your lessons were without the test of practicals. The point is that students need more than knowledge, they need to get away from their heavy reliance on wands, they cannot learn to defend themselves from the dark arts behind the safety of bound pages."

"But still we are wizards, not barbaric muggles. We need to develop our magic," Theodore Nott retorted.

"The development of magic comes as much from internal aspects as external ability. A three to one fight may be an equal match with the agility, wit, and prowess of a strong wizard or witch. Control and discipline over the body is stability over the magic. Physical strength and mental strength are interlinked. Control over magic is manipulating it without succumbing to its power, to its possible use to corrupt and ill the world."

"But I don't want to break a nail," Parkison said with a whine.

"Don't give me that. Girls are just as capable as boys...try putting your weight into it," Leighton said. Pansy turned away as if insulted. A sickening crack speared through the room and heads turned to the small figure they saw as Harry Potter standing over the remains of his desk. Ron stood next to her with his mouth ajar

"That felt good," Harmony said with a slight smile. It was quite easy, all she had to do was think of everything that frustrated her and lash it out with a swing of her arms. She was just glad that she hadn't embarrassed herself with a war cry.

"Ah, now that's how it's done. Five points to Gyrffindor for an excellent example."

"Blimey Harry, just how did you do that, these hammers weigh a ton?" Ron asked, realizing he probably didn't look too manly with his maw all hanging open.

"Easy, all you have to do is picture someone you hate," she brought the hammer down in another crash of splinters, "then bash away."

"But there are so many people, Harry." Then he smiled, "well I can just picture them all." He began to giggle quietly as his hammer rained down on that poor desk. It never stood a chance. The room got louder as more and more students got into the beat and energy. Even Draco Malfoy dismantled his desk without his aurora of bored indifference. Many of the girls struggled with their hammers. Hermione's frustrated whacks could only do minimal damage, and unfortunately she was paired with Neville who looked with fear at the object in his hands. But the students found the fun in the destruction of school property. Harmony would have demolished her desk to dust - loved to even- but all of the splinters progressed to travel to a corner of the room where Leighton attempted to create an upright man, which looked to be a replica of a poorly constructed fat man creature with a long snout and gaping jaw. It would have looked menacing if not for the silly grin.

As if the room were a forest relinquishing its leaves- it felt bare to the students. They looked about unsure towards their professor, to which he snapped his fingers. Immediately the floor softened from under their feet, turning the room into blue and red blocks of padding. The two houses naturally separated from either side and Leighton looked back from the two and sighed.

"As I recall, I am teaching one class," he motioned them over with both his hands. "I don't care about any of the differences or rivalries, it doesn't matter to me." They stood in a cluster in front of him, severely aware of the other. "When ever I have a lesson, feel free to sit on the floor, and when ever we practice we will get into groups. This is our playground." He spread his arms around.

"Tomorrow our focus will be to become familiar with all kinds of weapons, torture devices, and such. To know the weapon, is to know its strengths and weaknesses. To defend against the dark arts, is to combat against them. Class dismissed." Leighton ended with a wave and ambled back to his office. Students ran for the door like a flock of startled pigeons. Ron and Harmony had matching looks of bewilderment.

"Bloody hell, Dumbledore sure knows how to pick them," Ron muttered. Hermione swished her hand to get their attention.

"You two better hurry up, you don't want to be late for our next class. I heard that Professor Snape finally lost it."

"You can't lose something you never had, Hermione," Ron smirked. They gathered their belongings almost ready to head out.

"What's that about?" Harmony asked.

"Well, let's just say that he isn't all too much of a gloomy thundercloud. Usually he looks like he just ate nine super sour lemon drops, but today he seems to be in a melancholy cheerfulness."

"Not for long though, we have potions class with the Slytherins again this year, and Snape will really go mental. I almost feel sorry for him," Ron bubbled out.

"He will definitely have a short life at this rate," Hermione agreed.

"Let's go to class," Harmony said as she slung her bag over her head, allowing the weight to shift on the convenient hollow of her waist. They walked undisturbed the entire way to potions.

Upon entering the class, Ron and Harmony only saw one last empty table waiting to be claimed, unfortunately it was the one right in front of the teachers desk. A look of misgiving passed through both of their faces. She then felt the Slytherin glares and wondered when the taunting would start. Tension hung on tight muscles. Many of the green and silver marked teens looked back at Draco Malfoy to take the lead. He looked bored and uninterested at his books.

The room darkened. All side conversations deceased. Like tomb stones in a grave yard, Students stood straight and rigid in their seats. A door in the front creaked and Snape gave them sour looks as he emerged from the black room. His inky eyes narrowed. He had anticipated at least one parchment ball to have been thrown across the room- if not a swarm of salivated miniature paper balls to be dotted across the walls and at Gryffindor faces. He stood squarely at the foot of his desk, not particularly liking the view. His eyes lowered to that of Harmony, and gave a slight twitch. He wondered why there wasn't a commotion, this was his most troubling class. Then his vision traveled past her head to the back of the room where Malfoy sat, something dawned to him.

"I am pleased that no one has died in my absence," professor Snape said slowly. Maybe this year he would not suffer from any severe migraines. "Class, we will start by examining your level- by making the calming draught on the board." His brow met in concentration, black hair curtained around hollow cheeks. Students wondered if his silence meant that they should start. He at last let out a slow calculated nod as his eyes migrated from cool gray to vivid green. "But you will not be using the partners sitting next to you." Many of the students' eyes scattered about for possible candidates more than tolerable. "Which I will be picking," he enjoyed their stunned looks of silence.

"Now, I have noticed over the years that certain individuals, not to be named," he ground out deliberately looking from Harmony to Neville, "need extra help, to put it nicely. And partnering those special students in need with someone equally inept will not allow them to learn," he then saw the red hair of Ron which he much rather wished to burn off. "Partners will be based on those who require the most improvement with those class mates who show the proper mastery of potions. Other partners will be based on equal skill. If I hear any whining, you will get a zero for the day, if I see any nonsense, then expect to see me for detention."

"How long will these partners last?" Goyle asked with a raised hand.

"For as long as I choose," Snape snapped, "and these will be your partners. Longbottom," Snape almost shouted, making Neville jump in his seat, "work with Granger." Neville looked miles relieved, and Ron folded his arms across his chest. "Goyle," he boomed, pointing a long bony finger at the massive boy "and Crabbe. Weasley," Snape managed to spit out, "and Bulstrude." Ron looked stricken in his seat, anguish already mortifying his pallid face. He turned around to face the large girl named Millicent, who cracked her knuckles when she saw him. "Thomas, work with Nott. Parkinson and Brown." Pansy gave a little huff of disdain, she had wished to be with Draco. Harmony felt dread seep into constricting lungs, as if wretchedness loved to laden its victims with icy damnation. She shut her eyes. Oh, God no. "Zabini will work with Patil," Snape paused, practically standing over Harmony. "Malfoy…," Snape paused as if wondering if he really knew what he was doing, "and Potter." Her eyes ascended expecting to witness a livid sneer, but she caught only a glint of pensive listlessness in cave black eyes.

Students kept still, wondering if this was all a farce, some kind of wicked joke their professor played at. "Why aren't you moving? Time is potions." They struggled up, scrambling to move and not be singled out in attention. Ron gave one desperate look at Hermione before straightening his frame and slinging to Millicent. Harmony regarded the very much comfortable Malfoy who waved her over to the back of the room. Even though he wanted to play nice, she still couldn't trust him. He definitely had a hidden motive, or at least something up his sleeve. She had to go along with him for now.

"I'm not your little house elf to order around," Harmony expressed with annoyance while dropping her bag to the floor. He gave a little snort.

"No one is telling you to listen to me, Potter. But if you want to pass potions this year, just a little cooperation is needed. I plan to get good marks, so do hurry up and get the ingredients while I set up."

She rolled her eyes at him before crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Cooperation? Don't make me laugh. If you work with me, we have to be partners- and not you just telling me what to do."

"Yeah, I have watched how you do potions, and if you think you can bring that to this table we might as well just not do anything and Spare Professor Snape the trouble." Many of the groups at other tables glanced back at the two, feeling slightly better about themselves that they hadn't been so poorly matched.

"If we are to be," she lowered her voice "friends, then you better change your tactics."

"So you _do_ prefer me to trifle with you," Draco smirked, leaning in closer, "but I hadn't anticipated that you would respond to that so nicely."

"What! No. That's not what I mean."

"That's good, because it's a bit boring when you look like that," Draco said as he waved a hand in her general direction. "Don't want people to think that I am a poof, that would break one too many hearts."

"Figures you would care far too much for appearance sake."

"And that's coming from you, Potter, the greatest deceiver here." She narrowed her green eyes.

"It's not the same." Harmony retorted.

"Of course it's not, you are much too special to be ground down by anything less than courageous, perfect, and pure."

"You are an insufferable arse." He gave her a bit of a sneer.

"I'm sure that suggesting anything about your arse would be considered harassment."

"Why are you being such a little-"

"Potter! Detention for not working," Snape shouted.

"I can't believe this," she hissed, glaring at Malfoy. He had taken the liberty to set up their cauldron and knives.

"Whatever, let's just work on this potion," Draco placated. "I'll even get the ingredients with you to make sure that you get the right ones." Harmony walked in front, passing tables that were already chopping and brewing their calming drought. She passed Snape without meeting his haunting gaze and pushed the closet door with more force than necessary and didn't bother to hold it out for him. After a few moments she heard the door close and the walls glowed with a faint white light.

"What is your problem, really?" Harmony asked him.

"Well mostly I like to get under your skin, but I don't want the other students to think that we are actually friends- or trying to play nice."

"Why, you embarrassed by me, can't be the white sheep of the family, the one who sides with the light." Harmony placed her hands on her waist.

"No, the others just can't find out, nor can my family." Harmony considered that. Though unlikely, he may be labeled a traitor or disinherited by his family, then again the Malfoy's loved him too much for that. He probably just didn't want to be the negative source of the rumor wheel.

"Ok, we can appear as enemies, but lay off the severities of the insults. I don't particularly like to be scathed." She turned to the wall and grabbed one long rooster feather. On the lower shelf there were some newt egg shells that she needed. She then noticed that Malfoy had not moved since they had ended their conversation. "Are you going to just stand there, or help me?"

"I prefer to watch," he said as he leaned back on the shelves in an easy manner. She sighed and went about collecting three boar hairs. After two more ingredients, she had to start to juggle them in her arm. One of the last ones, ink of an octopus, was on one of the taller shelves. She stretched an arm up, standing just on her toes, and still only her fingertips grazed the smooth glass. She leaned even closer, the many selves marking her arms a bit red. She then felt something pressing against her back gently, and a hand reach easily behind her to snatch the little jar.

"Makes me wonder what you are thinking under all that hair," Draco said, "when most wizards or witches would do the obvious thing and use magic to get what they need." He hadn't moved away. Ever since she was young she had been used to small enclosed spaces, but this was different for her. She had never really gotten close to people. The choice was hers, to push away or let him do as he pleased. To follow and be lead, or to shove him away before anything started. She felt warmer, and wondered what he was thinking.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked calmly before elbowing him in the stomach. He backed away with a bit of surprise then smirked.

"Just wondering if the cat has claws," Draco murmured.

"If you think you can just—" pain seared her forehead, burning and tearing at her skull. The room spun around, white glowing and darkness mixing in with masked faces. Screams filled her ears, deafening and agonizing; the mad laughter of a killer joined with his victim's dying shrieks. Everything glowed a blood red, she was laughing hysterically, pain struck her skull, her stomach, her organs-like invisible hands were tearing her insides apart. Whose crazed delirium was this? Her eyes burned with anguish and anger seeking out the man whose fault this was. There. He groveled at her feet, but he needed to feel her torment. _Crucio_ wasn't enough. She saw his rat like face, and hate consumed her. "_What have you done to me?_"

Harmony lifted a hand away from her forehead laden with cold sweat. "I haven't done anything to you, I swear," said a different voice, one filled with concern. Where was she? Gray filled her eyes, she concentrated on that.

"What happened?" she gasped, her heart rate refused to die down, "I just saw Voldermort attack one of his Death Eaters…He's angry, out for blood." Draco stared straight at her, fear now etched in his throat.

"Who? Who is the Dark Lord—"

The door slammed open, its frame enveloped by Snape. He stared at the two, at the broken glass bottles, at the girl looking like his hated enemy, in the arms of Draco Malfoy. "What is going on in here?" he asked in a low tone, darkness cast his eyes in black.

Harmony became more aware to her surroundings. She felt Malfoy's reluctance to let her go in the way that his arms tightened around her. Heads were craning to get a better view. She began to turn a ruddy hue, as color swept back across her checks. At last her breathing stabilized. Spilled octopus ink seeped into her pants leg, and the smell of putrid embalmed chickens hit her nose. Draco propped her in a sitting position, where she put her palm to her scar to ease the throbbing ajena. "I-Er," she tested her vocals, her voice came out scratchy and raw. "I was clumsy professor, and knocked into a shelf I didn't see."

"If that is all, then see me after class. Oh, and fifteen points from Gryffindor, for an unsightly display." Snape pivoted on his foot to make a curt exit. The door swung shut.

"For a moment there I thought that I would have to make excuses for your untimely death," Draco whispered. "Should you go to the nurse or something…"

"No. Let's just clean this up and get everything for our potion."

"Was it my father or mother that Lo—"

"No," Harmony sushed him, "nor is this the place." She got to her feet and leaned on a wall closest to her. Then she looked at him, "Thanks."

"For what?" Draco asked a bit confused

"I don't even know why, just thanks."

"Then don't thank me," he said as liquids vanished with his wand and he set up the rest of the potions at the wall opposite the door. They worked in silence for the remainder of time.

* * *

Harmony stood by Professor Snape's desk, the rest of the students had left. "You wanted to see me." She called to him. He appeared through the door, the very image of taught misery.

"Describe to me what you saw." He commanded. She looked at him, not sure if she should trust him.

"I don't know, it was all blurry." She lied.

"Do not beguile me, I abhor liars the most." His somber eyes stared unblinkingly into hers. "Tell me what you saw." It was strange when he looked at her like that, like he could read her.

"Vold-," she quickly stopped herself at the sever expression on his face, "The Dark Lord was torturing someone."

"For what reason?"

"I don't know, but he was afflicted. Cursed."

"Who was he- the one receiving the Dark Lord's wrath?" Snape pried.

"Peter Petigrew."

"That rat." Snape spat in revolution, "…was this vision any different?" She thought for a moment, retracing the line of her scar.

"I could see it through his mind. I wanted to rip Peter apart limb by limb." Sickness wrapped her. She felt like a monster.

"You entered the Dark Lord's mind without even knowing it." Snape marveled at the girl's ignorance. "That must stop. Has this ever happened before?"

"I think so, over the summer. He was killing a muggle."

"Does Dumbledore know?" He asked her.

"No, and I want to keep it that way."

"You need lessons to close off your mind. I assume that you have never heard about occulmency." Snape said, not even waiting for a response. "Occulemency is guarding your mind from people who can use legimus, which is infiltrating a person's mind usually against their will. There is a detrimental connection between you and the Dark Lord, one which he can take advantage of. If he wants to, he could implant messages in your mind, see into the depths of your soul, and use that knowledge to find out what could hurt you the most. Few can master occulmency, and if I am to teach you, it must be in secret. Interested?"

"If you teach me then not even Dumbledore is to know." He nodded his head slowly. "Yes, then I want to learn."

"Occulmency is strenuous on the mind, and you will have to practice often. My mind will be attacking yours, and I will be invading your inner most emotions, thoughts, and memories. I will understand if you are reluctant to undergo the practices."

"I will master it, and thank you professor." She would not learn it out of fear, or to gain power. She didn't want to be messed with anymore.

Snape watched the girl leave, reminiscing in green eyes he cherished, green that he had sent to death. He stared at nothing, closing his eyes shut.

* * *

End of chapter 11


	12. Chapter 12 the Premonition

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer: **Potter boy is not mine, but I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, Potter, Potter-ratzi.

**Chapter 12 the Premonition **

* * *

Harmony sat atop her bed, focusing her mind to enable her face to change at will. The whole process was frustrating, especially in a room filled with snoring boys. She wrapped herself in a thin blanket, in case someone was to peek over and see her not so male face. Her breathing came out deep and regular. Her mind filled with the picture of Harry Potter, and her desire for it. With her eyes still closed she brought a hand up to the planes of her face and marveled at the slight differences. She felt the warmth from the magic, a slight trickle coursing through her veins. Her skin began to cool, and she went over to a window to catch a glimpse of herself.

There on the windowsill pearing through were two almond brown eyes and a pale white face. She jumped in shock, and it gave a series of hoots in response. It was a barred owl with creamy white and tan mottled feathers that glowed in the earlier morning light. One of its talons was outstretched with a note tied to it. The window creaked open, allowing a waft of cool air to pass her frame, and she untied the small parchment. She was glad that this owl had not pecked at her with its small yellow beak. The note looked freshly written, with ink that had not fully dried; she looked down at the parchment.

_To Cub,_

_Meet me past third meal, third day, in a room hung with framed metal_

_- Honey Dukes_

"The hell," she mumbled. The owl had flown away and she wondered what kind of encrypted, convoluted message this was.

The day passed easily enough, Transfiguration with McGonagall had them turn needles into small crowns. Hagrid had shown his students innocent enough looking rabbits with antlers. Harmony was beginning to feel that the day would turn out for the better, until that was when she checked her schedule and saw the inked in letters spelling Divination. She cursed her fowl luck.

Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs dragged their feet up the spire, circlig their way to the large blue door. Harmony's nose crinkled at the smells of overwhelming lavender, pine, sea foam, passion fruits, and a sugary too sweet sent that mixed and wafted, permeating through her skull, and causing an onslaught of a migraine. The door had not even opened yet.

A large eye peeked through a crack as the door shifted a smidgen. It gave fearful rapid blinks before disappearing and being replaced by a pallid hand that opened a croaking door for them. "Hurry in children," she encouraged weakly, as if afraid of overexposure out of the room could cause some kind of fatality. Students passed her with polite nods.

Heat condensed visibly in the room, swirling and suffocating. "Sit down now," a high pitched voice pinched from a taught mouth. Harmony and Ron jumped to an empty table, and many of the other students joined in on the game of musical chairs, wanting to sit with their friends. On each table a glass orb sat, waiting for an owner to gaze into its depths. Students stared at their professor, foreseeing listless days in her class.

"Well," she began when she noticed everyone's stares. A groaning noise escaped the door as she leaned on it. "I am glad to see that all of our students have survived the summer and had not died in horrible brutal fashions." Trelawny scratched her unkempt hair with a long slim finger. "Now I know that each of you had exciting dreams that you scribed into a journal for me to grade, which you all will hand in at the end of class. Hopefully they are all pleasant, with at least one nightmare, or hornet." She said as she swatted a bee away from her face, which flew and rested on a windowsill. Student's eyes began to dull, as brain cells were induced to self destruct.

"Kill me now," Ron whispered across the table, making gagging noises. Harmony chuckled and tried to hide it with her sleeves.

"It is very nice of you all to take my class this year. It pleases me to see such interest in young minds for Divinations." Harmony glared at the ball, wondering what was worse, setting herself on fire or sitting through a years worth of Divinations. "At your seats there is an orb to practice your eye's ability to see, look into it now and the Sight will come to you." Students gazed into the glass, attempting to see something in vain as Trelawny perched at her desk.

"This is so pointless," Harmony stated and awoke Ron in the process.

"Yeah, I almost cried in boredom when she started ranting about the gnomes in her garden," Ron managed from his vapid expression.

"Really? I think I dozed off at that part," Harmony's eyes, laden with unsuppressed apathy for the assignment, directed to the placid looking glass surface.

"Shite, Trelawny alert," Ron whispered under his breath. The next few seconds had the two staring aggressively into the ball, rubbing their temples, and giving little chants in order to feign that they were actually progressing with their Sight, and not just slacking off.

"Interesting methods to enable foresight," Trelawny dubiously said with a sniff, "do you perchance see anything?"

"I see a shoe…with yellow laces," Ron tried with a charming smile.

"Ah, watch out for slugs, you should. What about you Harry dear?" Harmony forced her gaze away from the hypnotic ball to rest on the students at other tables who looked to be in various degrees of vegetable like comas.

"I see vegetables, rotting under the sun." Harmony watched Neville almost fall off his seat before looking up into the large brown eyes of her teacher.

"Interesting," Trelawny muttered while taping her chin, "a dragon will light you on fire…haven't had that one in a while, but I suppose that—." Her bottom jar dropped and began to tremble. Her eyes rolled back, exposing white as if they were the glass orbs. Trelawny stood rigid and lifted her head to the ceiling.

"Oh my God! Oh Merlin!" Ron sputtered, "She's having a heart attack!"

"_You will die a woman_," screeched a horribly low and cracking voice.

Harmony shuddered, Goosebumps coursed through the skin on her arms. "What?" she gasped, as other students shot from their slumber to look on at Trelawny.

"_The Dark Lord anguishes, seeking more than your blood. He will steal everything from you. Death is at knife point, waiting to carve out your heart. The Dark Lord anguishes, seeking…seeking…seeking…_"

Trelawny's eyes shut and her head rolled to the side.

"Holy hell bent mother, she's possessed!" Ron covered his ears and eyes, fearing to be the next victim.

_No!_ Harmony shrunk in her seat, hoping that people had been too asleep to hear that she would die a woman. "That's ridiculous!" Harmony bellowed. Trelawny's eyes opened and she blinked a few times, a dazed look passed her face. "You know nothing, absolutely NOTHING!" Harmony shot up from her chair, fists white to the bone.

"What ever is the matter, boy?" Trelawny asked and took a step back. Students were enraptured by the now very exciting drama.

"I can't take it anymore- all of your fake bullocks! And this wretched class. I have to get out of here!" She grabbed her bags from the floor, making twists and turns from the tables for the exit. Her hands yanked on the handle, and before she left she caught the image of Ron standing up and applauding with a wicked grin of approval. She scampered down the spire with her pack thumping against her back. Why did she have to take that class? She pulled out her crumpled school schedule. All she had to do was fill it in with another class, and she wouldn't have to deal with crazy teachers sprouting her demise and her secrets. She already had Snape to do that.

Harmony began to slow her pace and actually figure out where she was going. She looked at the moving figures on the wall and could swear that she had seen them before. Her mind actively retraced her steps, leading from the Divinations. She looked out from a hallway window and saw mountains. She rested her forehead on the warm pane of glass in order to see the castle grounds below. She hadn't even realized that her scar prickled with heat, as it burned alongside her mind.

"My, my. It's only the third day of school and you already are cutting class," said a drawling voice. Her body whipped around, facing Draco Malfoy.

"How did you find me and how would you even know that I have class now?" she demanded irked at being snuck on again by him. "Are you stalking me?"

"Don't take me for one of your worshiping fans, I happen to have a free block of time, so they assigned me prefect duties. You know, escorting lost first years, catching kids skipping, boring stuff like that." From his robes he extracted papers. "And I know for a fact that you have Divinations, I have every students' schedule and all of the classes for this semester."

"So you just happened to be walking down this hallway, a complete coincidence that we meet, right." She was beginning to wonder if he had some creepy sensing radar.

"Yep, unless it was fate," he gave her a wry lift of his lips, to which she returned with a huff.

"You have serious issues."

"And you don't?" He gave a light sneer "Oh woe is me, the boy-who-has-to-save-everybody…wait, no sorry, the girl who has to save everybody because the world would blow up otherwise." He stared down at her. "Did I miss anything? Oh yeah," he said hitting his forehead in the process. "Besides that hero complex, you're the little attention seeker who must disregard the rules because your just that much better than everybody."

She glared at him, wondering why he had to be such a prat all of the time, "Well at least I'm not a little coward, who has to have Mummy and Daddy in order to feel important. And it's a good thing that practically everything can be bought with money, right, enables you to screw people over." He scoffed at her.

"I'm not a coward, I just have a different level of survival instincts!"

"What? Running away to cry in a little hidden hole." Harmony laughed, "right."

"At least I will be alive though, with my family."

"And what makes you think that Voldemort won't just kill you when he has the chance?"

"Don't call the Dark Lord that!" Draco jerked a bit from the name. "He wouldn't kill a loyal pure blood— no, he will rid the world of those who go against him and his ideals…There's still a chance for you too, if you want to be on the winning side." She looked up at him with disgust. "You will die a fool, if you actually expect to win and defeat the Dark Lord, Potter."

"You're an obnoxious wanker, you know that right? And I could care less for whatever you have to say because I would die a thousand times over before I quiver like the chicken shite you are." Harmony looked away from him and stared out the window.

"Ouch," Draco laughed. "But would you ask others to fall with you. They risk their lives. Even true men will sell you out along with your friends."

"This is my task. I don't expect others to follow."

"Ah, but add Gryffindors to the equation and they would gladly throw themselves head long to the very heart of it." Harmony shrugged her shoulders, knowing that she had already planned keeping her friends safe from her path. "Ugh, I really didn't want to make you angry at me," he said with his hand at the back of his platinum blond hair, as if just catching himself acting like a complete arse. "Just see that you have options, more than being some kind of human sacrifice." He looked a bit uncertain as if he really hadn't though the conversation through. "There are those who don't want to see your death." He sighed at last, turning away from her, but if she saw him she would not have been able to read him anyway.

"If that is all, then sod off," she said curtly, walking away.

"Wait," Draco said as he caught up to her, agitation clear in his voice "Can we just start over?"

"Start over what? Over four years of absolute dislike. What do you think?" She trailed her fingers against the walls as she walked and turned her head away from him.

"I don't know…start over today maybe," Draco stuffed his hands in his pockets, keeping his gaze set on the girl that looked like Potter.

"If you just want to fool around, then forget it."

"I still want to try to be friends."

"Do I have a choice, or are you blackmailing me again?"

"If I say no to the black mail part and yes to keeping your secret, can we retry the friendship thing?" She stared into those gray eyes that she could always remember were filled with malice towards her, and seeing the earnest expression behind them stopped her from cursing him out. She didn't think that it would matter anyway, they would never befriend or endear the other.

"Whatever," she sighed, "if you think you can handle me, that is." She gave a little internal laugh. She would give him hell. He lifted an eyebrow but did not comment.

They passed three halls and several classrooms before Draco started to wonder their destination. "Where you are going?" he finally asked.

"I'm going to Professor McGonagall's room," Harmony snapped at him, as if he would know where anything but the dungeons were.

"Then you're going the wrong way," he said with an amused grin.

"I'm taking the scenic route." Draco brought up the papers in his hand to look at the map of Hogwarts with all the rooms labeled.

He paused a moment before venturing on. "So why aren't you in class, someone read your palm and say something devastating, like you would be a virgin till age 34?"

"No, the professor got some vision and shouted that I'd die a woman and some other crap," Harmony said as Draco laughed at her. She wondered why they were still walking together. "So I'm going to go to Professor McGonagall and ask her to switch me out of that class."

"Teachers don't usually allow that till you actually have another class in mind, she'd probably send you back to Divinations; plus she has a class right now with the third years. How about I show you the classes at this time, since Divinations is basically an elective it doesn't matter if you get into a class filled with other grades."

"Alright, then lead the way," she said.

"I always love to," he said with a smirk, "lead that is."

"Whatever." She replied with a raised eyebrow.

The first class they reached was a culinary one where black smoke was seeping through the door. "It seems like the Ravenclaws are in there now," Draco remarked.

"Well, I already know how to cook," Harmony said with her hands in her pockets.

"That's hard to believe, considering the debacle you make yourself out to be in Potions."

"Cooking is improvising from a standard procedure, Potions is just way too precise and stressful for me," Harmony said. He gave a little laugh.

"Well I suppose that you wouldn't be able to follow the given instructions, but why would you know how to cook anyway?" She gave him a shrug.

"Kids have chores all the time, I just happened to cook and stuff."

"They made a ten year old cook their meals, priceless muggles are, so did those hideous beasts not let you eat if you didn't do what they said, or lock you in a little closet," he joked a bit.

"Yeah, something like that." Now it was his turn to be dubious.

"Obviously not culinary class for you then," Draco said a bit perturbed. They went along other classrooms.

"What is that class?" Harmony asked pointing to one with a curtain draped over a small window on the door.

Draco checked his list, cracking up as he put it away. "That is a required course for seventh years." She gave him a pointed stare to continue "SMEX."

"Er. What exactly is SMEX?"

"Basically Sex Education, in a nut shell." He smirked.

"What is the M from SMEX," Harmony asked, at the same time not wanting to know.

"SMEX education, the M is for magic."

"That's hard to believe."

"Really, it's abbreviated as Sex for the Magical Education, X-rated, " He laughed at her priceless face of horror.

"You have got to be kidding me…Dumbledore allows it"

"Yep, I heard that he goes down there sometimes to observe, but those are only rumors. The worst part is if you want to graduate, you have to take it." She shuddered and was glad that the curtain was in place. She hurried on putting as much distance away as possible from the door.

They went through stairwells and hanging portraits that stared at them as they walked. She heard a low pounding of beats, a rhythm coming from two steal doors. She concentrated on the quickening notes, she couldn't identify the melody, but it was soft and whimsical. She closed her eyes and smiled. "I did not know they offered music," she whispered, as to not to disturb the crescendo of trumpets and flutes that fluttered like butterflies to her ears.

"They also have an art studio, but many witches and wizards don't care for such things, with a wand, they could just as easily make anything." She felt it a shame that she hadn't considered anything but Divinations. She wondered why she took that class anyway, probably because of Ron pulling her with him, saying that he needed his afternoon naps.

At three flights down, Harmony was led to the language labs, where foreign tongues could be learned. She followed close behind him, not straying too far or spending too long at any one classroom. "The last courses at this time are a free period study or a _life management_ class." She frowned at her options and at the fact that Draco had stressed the life management course.

"That's all?" she chewed on the inside of her check trying to look at the papers in Draco's hands.

He rechecked his list before answering. "There is one more, but…It's not really recommended for males, in fact the last recorded guy to take the course was the Head Master Dumbledore."

Harmony considered it, if Dumbledore had done it, it couldn't be that bad. "What is it?"

"Magical Fitness," Draco said "the female population does it to lose weight or something, but it's like an unwritten rule that only girls sign up for it."

"Well that's silly…So it's for exercising?" Harmony pondered, as Draco nodded at her, having vague memories at a time in her muggle schools where they had something called physical education. "Can you show me?"

"It's a class for girls, Potter."

"Well I am a girl," Harmony said.

"Yeah, but the rest of the Hogwarts population doesn't know that."

"And I care what they think?" Harmony asked, but really stated. Draco shrugged his shoulders before changing their directions and continuing on. She needed a class where she could let lose her stress and put her small frame to work.

"So how do you get the face lift to look like Harry Potter?" Draco asked as he kept in pace with her.

"Er, magic," she half smiled.

"Yeah, sure," he said and waited for her to continue.

"It's hard to explain…" she tried and brushed fine hairs away from her eyes. His gaze was still on her, waiting. "I picture what I want in my mind and project the image through magic onto my face."

"Show me."

Harmony wondered if it was safe to do so. She looked behind her, to check if people were there even though she knew that they were alone. She looked at the walls, and the only painting was one with a sleeping blue baby. She brought a hand to her face, allowing the magic to dissipate and reveal the real owner behind the guise of Harry Potter. She didn't want to see his expression, but their eyes connected and she was all too aware of the focus his gray eyes fixated her with. She hadn't even processed that she may be making a mistake by showing him. "That's…wow." She quickly changed back to her boy face and hoped that he wouldn't say anything demeaning. Concentration forward, she marched ahead. She could almost feel the smirk that was searing into the back of her head.

"I was right," he said at last, "You do look better without those dorky glasses." She almost faltered in her steps, and did not dare to look back at him, or else show him her slight smile and held in laugh. He really must pull everything from his pompous arse.

They soon arrived at a bulky brown door, and stared at its fine wood surface. "So you going to go in or what?" Draco asked.

"You're not coming in with me," she asked, "too scared of a bunch of girls now." He gave her a lopsided smirk.

"You wish."

She pushed the door open, surprised at its heaviness. The smell of perfume hit her in a wave and she looked around at the large expanse of the room. The florescent like lighting hurt her eyes and she could see girls stretching in little shorts and tank tops of all different colors. They noticed the very embarrassed looking Harry Potter, and giggled and whispered amongst themselves. She scanned the room and saw what must have been the professor.

"Er. Excuse me for interrupting, but this is Magical Fitness, right?" she asked. The professor turned around and Harmony was surprised to see Madame Hooch, whistle in hand staring at her. She was unmistakable with the yellow eyes and silver hair.

"Yes, now what brings you here?" Many of the students stopped to watch her talk with their professor.

"I was wondering if I could possibly…er…join this class." Harmony pressed her robes close to her body, almost wanting to shrink from all of their stares.

"Well if Mister Potter thinks he can follow this rigorous course, then he may join it," Harmony felt a breath that she had been unknowingly holding come out. "I will notify your head of house, and tomorrow if you return bring in a different set of clothes, you will change in that room," she said and pointed to a forlorn looking door that had a boy's locker room sign.

The girls called from where they stretched and Madam Hooch blew her whistle to get them in order. Harmony though was glad to see a familiar patch of red, as Ginny waved to her. She returned the gesture and sped from the large gymnasium, throwing her weight into the door. Her peak of discomfort transmuted to mild agitation when she noticed that Draco had disappeared. How the heck was she supposed to know how to get back? She took a few steps muttering about useless gits, when a shadow drifted from the wall on her left. Draco Malfoy peered down at her, looking sullen like a statue. Without a word he retraced their steps, and she followed him, legs working to keep up with his long strides. Half way back she remembered the spell she had learned that would point her in the right direction, but she went with him, till she parted at the Great Hall with a mumbled thanks. He left for the dungeons and harmony shrugged her shoulders.

Students were milling about, working their way to the start of dinner. Harmony leaned by the grand doors, allowing countless students to pass her.

"Good evening, Harry," Luna called along with Ginny. "You look mildly perturbed, get a bad premonition from Divinations?" She had no idea how to answer that.

"Er. Not anymore than usual." Luna's tarsier like eyes met her before they entered the Great Hall where dinner was just about ready.

"See you then," she remarked before gliding down the Ravenclaw table. When Harmony sat down and aimlessly wandered the tables with her eyes, she spotted a honey filled container shaped as a bear on the staff table. She then remembered the message the owl had sent her from Honey Dukes. Then food sprouted atop the tables.

…

The late summer air spilled through the high windows, bringing with it orange and golden rays. Soft foot steps padded the stone floor making little insects scamper about. Harmony slinked through the halls, not wanting to be seen. She kept her wand out, preferring to feel the reassuring touch of wood. The door she wanted to pass through appeared benign, but she could never tell. With one last second she glanced the halls for students before turning the doorknob and pushing it with enough momentum to swing her in. No one was there.

"That's odd," she mumbled. The door slammed behind her as her only warning, ending her reverie. Small brown sparrows materialized from the air flapping madly into the ceiling. Harmony ducked down, wand out. Some of the birds flew at her, but she knew that they were a distraction. She was glad that the room wasn't a small enclosed area, but there was also no where to hide here. Something yanked at her wand, dragging her with it, and Harmony grasped her wand with both hands. Where was he? The force that held her wand slackened and she stumbled back, almost losing her footing. Her ears picked up the pops of birds bursting to feathers, and a speckled brown rained down from the ceiling. Her breath caught when her back thudded against something she knew wasn't a wall. She looked up into a glint of gold eyes and saw the younger eighteen year old Leighton smile.

"Glad to see you on your toes, but if I were- say a malicious death eater -then…" Leighton said bringing his wand to her throat and pinning down both of her hands with his other arm, "you would be much less alive." He immediately propped her up, even straitening the glasses on her nose. "But at least you didn't knock. Too many foolish wizards and witches have breathed their last by rapping on a door."

"Where were you?" Harmony asked.

"Well first I heard you coming down the hall, so I stood by the door under an invisibility charm. Simple. So how have you been with shifting your face?" Harmony gave a wide smile before her face reverted back to that of a girl.

"Excellent, and it has only been the third day of school. There is no need to mask your face here. Anyway, since we are still on the part of protecting, let's go over the protronous charm."

"I already know how to do that."

"All right then, on to harder meditations and mind discipline. You will now try out concentration techniques which includes closing off your mind. I know that every wizard or witch has at one point used magic without a wand. This was mostly on accordance with times where strong emotions or desires come to play. It will be a time for nonverbal spells." He sat on the barren floor cross-legged and Harmony plopped down a foot away from him. "Take a deep breath and empty your mind," Leighton closed his eyes and she followed him. After a minute she began to fidget, not understanding exactly what to do. The silence was unnerving. She peered through a sliver of her eyelids and saw the complete relaxation from Leighton. She noticed the tension in her shoulders, the unwillingness of her body to be still. With a deep breath she began to relax, and once her body calmed, her mind ceased its stressing. It was like ridding herself of earthly bonds.

"Good," Leighton said softly. "I want you to picture something in your mind to act as a shield, and to only focus on that. Like a protonus, think of something that can protect you, or something that gives you strength and happiness. That will be the anchor to your mind."

She pictured her friends, of Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, she could feel their love and support, but she knew that those walls would be flimsy. If an enemy saw that her focus was only set in friendship, then they could torture them to get to her. She needed something else. Harmony imagined Sirius, and happiness filled her, but sadness too from his plight. There were her parents, the ones she only heard of. She concentrated on the unconditional love of her mother, and the happy family the three of them would have been. But she could never actually experience this happy family; only the idea. She began to think harder, to reach for something that could ground her. But she couldn't find it.

"I can't," she said at last in a bit of frustration. It was difficult to do, to use her mind like that.

"There will be more chances," Leighton responded. "On to something new, you can practice nonverbal spells. This is similar to masking your face, but now using an actual spell. Figuring and understanding different nonverbal spells will make you closer to magic, it will strengthen your mind by desiring spells without enunciating their given names. You could try shouting the spell in your mind if it helps, though it is unnecessary." He flicked the wand in his hand, and a Huneydukes candy flew at him. "It will come handy in a magic fight along with the stealth. Try it."

Harmony thought about the _accio_ spell, but the room was still barren from when the students had smashed desk, and she had no desire to _accio_ the many daggers, axes, and other pointy weapons placed on the walls to hurtle at her. She settled for the benign enough spell lumos, which she chanted in her mind to no avail. She could definitely feel the wood of her wand warming in her grasp. Leighton waited patiently, sitting and eating his little candy. She thought she saw a little light spark at one point. She waved her hand a few times before biting her bottom lip.

"The_ lumos_ spell, I assume," Leighton said watching the tip of her wand. "Perhaps if it were darker, it would help." The light in the room dimed until all that was left was the remnants of the fading sunset. The darkness was unsettling, she wanted to see. She wanted the light. Her eyes seared on to where she thought her wand was as she repeated _lumos, lumos, Lumos, LUMOS_ in her thoughts.

And nothing happened.

"Ugh," she took a sharp intake of breath.

"Try relaxing, let it be natural," Leighton encouraged from somewhere in front of her. She hadn't realized that her muscles were all tense and that she had gripped her wand to fists. "Forcing nonverbal magic is exhausting, just believe and want light."

Harmony took a deep breath allowing the cooling air to end the _lumos_ litany revolving around her head. Maybe she was thinking too hard. She said the spell in her mind as she would have done aloud with the corresponding wave motion of her hand. There was an unmistakable flicker of a modicum white misty light, which disappeared in a blink. She sat there with a surprised smile.

"Send me a message by school owl when you have practiced enough and feel that it is time for your next lesson." Light streamed in and illuminated the two.

"When I got my message this morning, you addressed me as cub…can I be called something a bit more normal?"

"I don't see why though," Leighton shrugged, "I am your mentor, you are my student, so naturally you would be my cub." No matter how hard she tried, she could not follow his logic. "Unless you would rather be young grasshopper instead."

"No, no, cub is great," Harmony said a bit too quickly. She got up from where she sat and became Harry Potter, "but only use cub through owl, during these after school lessons call me Harmony."

"I'll call you whatever you look like at the time then, just so long as you don't call me professor. No need for formality when the other students are not present. Oh, and remember that these lessons are basically secret."

"So that no one finds out, I know."

"That is true, but the real reason is because it is more fun this way. Plus then I can look my age, and not have to act like a stuffy and sensible teacher," he smiled, and she laughed a bit, figuring that he would act normally regardless of the age he appeared and as abnormally as he could.

"Thanks Leighton," she said as she went to leave. He saluted her with a wave of his hand and when she got to the door, it swished open for her. She walked along the dark halls in tiptoes, chanting the spell _lumos_ in her mind and watching her wand shroud her arm in fading light, as if a firefly sat on her wand.

* * *

*End of chapter 12.

Thanks for the reviews, many of them make me laugh.


	13. Chapter 13 the Physical

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimus:** 1, 2, 3, JKR Potter and me, write 180 degrees and I'm caught in-between. Writing, 1 2 3 and it's not my property, I'm not making no money, everybody loves DracOoh.

Chapter 13: Physical

* * *

Albus Dumbledore arose from his chair, tugging his beard free from where it got stuck in his lower robes. He readjusted the blue silk with magical dignity and cleared his voice.

"It pleases me to say that a Hogsmeade trip has been scheduled for the weekend. So plan accordingly." Dumbledore paused, awaiting a reaction from the students and seeing their mortification, sat. He didn't realize that his beard had pulled up and exposed more of his undergarments than any student cared to see. When it was clear that he was very much finished, the volume of the room picked up as children began talking simultaneously. Happiness danced upon Ron's face, making him forget elderly unmentionables.

"Did you hear that Harry?" Ron jolted out, "Hogsmeade has come early this year!"

"Yep, but I cannot go."

"What!"

"I have detention with Snape, remember during Potions."

"That's a load of tripe," Ron replied as he speared three sausages onto his fork. Harmony had not yet experienced one of Snape's infamous detentions. They had it planed so that the detentions served as a cover for their occlumency lessons. She sat with her face planted in her palms.

"Oh Harry," Ginny said from two seats away, "You have to go. Tell Professor Snape to shove his detentions elsewhere, because you have more important things to do."

"Sure that will work," Harmony replied, "except for the fact that the man hates me." Ginny scrunched closer, squishing Neville who was between them. She pulled at Harmony's collar, forcing them inches apart behind Neville's back.

"Suppose that you go to Snape looking all fine," she whispered while giving a wink, "and flutter your eyes about, and don't forget to give a shy smile. He will surely say yes then." Harmony gave a slight snort. She had told Ginny during the summer break that Snape knew her secret.

"He'd profusely vomit if I did that, besides it's important that I meet up with him."

"But Harry! You promised," Ginny said a tad too loudly.

"Shh— Wait…Promised? And what exactly did I promise?"

"You said that you would dress up for me." Distress signals from Harmony's uncomfortable position mingled with signals passed through her brain, searching for a promise she could not have made.

"Uh, no I did not," she retaliated smartly. Ginny gave her a determined look.

"I don't care if you get three detentions if you skip. You are going!" Harmony frowned in protest.

"But I don't—"

"Yes you will go. Just nod your head like a good little witch, it will save you a lot of trouble." A frown began to form on Harmony's lips as she became more aware of the little fist that clasped her robes forward.

"Fine," Harmony mumbled and straightened her complaining spine. "Look, we will talk later about it." Many of her surrounding friends were giving her odd looks, which she let slide from her mind as she thought of how to convince Snape to let her free. Neville's form leaned awkwardly towards the table; he probably had never been as close to two girls before, even though one of them was masquerading as a boy.

"Going to Divinations today?" Neville asked, as he tried to regain his composure.

"Nope, I switched into Magical Fitness." At Harmony's reply, a masticated glob caught into Ron's throat, determined to latch on and avoid falling victim to the organ known as the 'bottomless pit': a process essentially thwarting Ron's talking, snoring, and lastly breathing. Ron turned the exact hue of a grape.

"You OK Ron?" Ginny asked.

"Quick, someone do something!" Neville nearly shouted. Fred and George ran over from wherever they had been to watch their brother duke it out with a salivated ball of food.

"For goodness sake," Hermione said as she pointed her wand at Ron's throat, and hotly muttered a spell. "Ron, chew before swallowing." He gave her a 'how-would-I-ever-breath-blink-or-do-anything-without-you' look, to which she responded by shaking her head in frustration.

"Harry," Ron said in all serious tones, "did you just say that you are going to Magical Fitness? The class filled with raging girls?" Harmony nodded her head. "You lucky bugger," Ron grinned, "but what will I do without you in Divinations? It will be so boring."

"Join my class then."

"Hell no...I mean that class is taboo for boys. Plus, I just handed in a journal filled with made up dreams that I worked on for nearly the entire night before school started," Ron continued, failing to notice that Harmony had lost interest. "Anyway, think that I have a chance at Quidditch?" Ron asked to no one in particular. "I don't want to make a complete fool out of myself."

"You mean anymore than you already do." Ron and Harmony turned their heads to face George and Fred. "Oh is the little Ronnie Pooh scared of mean old Quidditch tryouts?"

"Stop it." Ron scolded as his cheeks turned to a flaming red hue, much to the twin's utter glee. They rested an elbow on each side of Ron's shoulders.

"Hey Fred!"

"Yeah, George."

"Remember that fifth year who tried out on the team?"

"The one that smelled like turnips who got dismembered from a bludger?" Ron leaned forward mouthing the word dismembered.

"Nah, I'm talking about that rank kid who got his face knocked off," George's grin practically consumed the entirety of his jar line. Ron became a blank canvas.

"Ah, but he was the fortunate one, at least he got to reconstruct his features to look better for the funeral."

"Ron, they're joking," Hermione said as she gave the twins a disapproving look.

"Of course," Ron muttered, still not looking relieved in the slightest.

"But you should at least watch what you are eating, wouldn't want to spew out a rainbow of vomit." The twins turned their attention away from Ron giving him a final pat on the head.

"Care to join us for the Quidditch party, Saturday night." George added, addressing Harmony. She nodded.

As if cued by the mention of hurtling objects, owls swept in delivering the post. Flitting its way through letters and rolled bundles of The Prophet, a hand crafted bird flapped and danced in the air, before landing in front of Harmony. Ginny's eyes searched her, but none of her other friends had noticed the small folded parchment's journey. She encased it in a lose fist before hiding her hand under the table. Harmony pulled it open.

"These articles," Hermione announced, "are completely twisting you, Harry. It's inconceivable how the Daily Prophet can just make up whatever it damn well pleases."

"It's fine." Harmony replied, too preoccupied to care for the newspaper's petty bull. She ignored both the glares that were sent her way, as well as Hermione's mutterings.

She stared at the message hidden in the crane.

_I'll see you at Hogsmeade._

She crumpled the paper and shoved it in her pocket. "It's nothing," Harmony mumbled to Ginny before she could ask. There was no sender, but Leighton would have used it in code. She looked across her shoulder to the Slytherin table, but there was no Malfoy present. The message could have been from any of her fellow students, male or female. It could have meant nothing at all. The food disappeared and the students rushed for their next class.

* * *

Magical Fitness was not what she had expected. Girls had giggled at her, possible at her unflattering pajama bottoms and oversized shirt. She figured that if she had to go to Hogsmeade, then she might as well get shorts and shirts that didn't make her look like an air ballooned turtle.

They were told to keep their wands, and Madam Hooch had them run laps and stretch. A beating music filled the room, and the girls got in rows. She stood in the back next to Ginny and Luna, ignoring the ever present glances thrown her way.

"Wand up," shouted Madam Hooch, "Wand down." Harmony mimicked the other girls as they brought their wands up with the music and down again. "Wand up, wand down, spin." The dumbfounded expression she held dissipated as she witnessed Ginny move along with the dance. Ginny held the grace of a cat as she made basic steps more elegant. "Now shake those hips girls, and you too Harry."

The girls moved their arms in unison, and the embarrassment Harmony felt at first subsided as she began to enjoy the exercise. It was the single dancing that she had never experienced before, one where it did not matter if she skipped a beat, or completely botched up the routine. She held the feeling of freedom, of flying, and when it ended her heart echoed with the diminishing beat.

"Hey, Ginny do we do this every class?"

"No, we play sports and exercise most of the time," Ginny responded, "Why have fun?" A smirk formed on her lips.

"What? No." Harmony denied.

"Sure. I'll see you at dinner." She faltered in her steps. _I'll see you at Hogsmeade_ shimmered through her steps.

* * *

"Did you get my message?"

Harmony leaned as far away in her seat from him, juggling the caldron between them. She felt the irritation bubbling inside her.

"So when I receive an unnamed letter, I am supposed to assume that it's from you."

"Whom else would it be from?" Draco Malfoy asked with a twist of his lips. "So you better be going, because I will be hunting you down if you don't. I swear I will haul your arse there if I have to."

"Why can't you ask me properly?" She began to chop erratically, mixing things that were supposed to be separated.

"You mean like on my knees? God, I just got one of those house elves to wash my pants." He chuckled. Harmony's eyebrows twitched.

"Like to my face." She shot her partner a look before throwing some random ingredient into the cauldron. He gave her a smirk.

"Why if I didn't know better I would think that you were actually interested in seeing me," he leaned closer to her, right over the cauldron staring into her eyes. The heat from the smoke drifted her way and she wisely looked away, right at the moment the contents in the cauldron exploded upwards hitting Malfoy full on the face. He looked absolutely horrified at the mustard yellow mess covering him, making his superb features unrecognizable.

"Shite," he choked out "You damn well owe me now."

"Fine I'll go."

"Potter!"

"Yes Professor?"

"Detention!"

"Yes, sir."

"Oh and before I forget, another 40 points from Gryffindor." Snape ambled over to see the wreckage for himself. He waved his wand to clear most of the potion off of Draco's face. "And escort Malfoy to the washroom without blowing anything else up." Harmony quickly shot up, extinguishing the fire below the cauldron. They walked from the back of the room with questioning stares passing their way.

"You did that on purpose. I don't know how, but you are out to get me." Draco said to her when they were far enough away from the class room.

"I'm really sorry, I honestly had not the slightest idea that would happen."

"Gah! It's gotten into my eyes," Draco squeaked, while rubbing his eyelids.

"Don't be such a turd," Harmony said and looked at his tearing eyes. "Oh."

"Damn, what did you put in there? It burns." She grabbed his hand. "You better know where you're going," he muttered with his eyes sealed shut. A slight remorse trickled down her gut, from seeing the harm that she had caused. He held her hand tightly, and must have been really blinded from the potion. Their clasped fingers slackened and slid till the contact ceased when they arrived to the loo. The sound of water flowing and draining alerted Draco to start rinsing his eyes. Tepid water slipped through his fingers and down his arms. Water droplets caught in his hair, and dripped down his jaw line.

"You're wetting yourself," Harmony said to which he splashed her aimlessly.

"Shut up." The outer layer of his uniform fell to the floor, and he grasped the material of his gray vest and continued to pull it over his head. The collared white shirt remained to soak up the trails of water. The water heated, torrid to his touch, and flushed his skin.

Harmony didn't know what to think. She wouldn't have cared if she was a guy, so what would make her see him as any different. Had Draco changed? She didn't think so. She was just studying him, she told herself. Such a rapt attention she would pay anyone. If it were Ron, surely then she would be doing the same. The image of Ron drained from her mind as Draco's shirt revealed the muscles which were more developed than she had thought. Her gaze traveled up to his face, to the smirk and keen eyes he presented her.

"Careful," he said, "you wouldn't want to burn your pretty eyes, too." Heat tinted her cheeks and she hotly turned away. Nope, he definitely had not changed.

"Damn it," she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, "just hurry, Snape will think that I have strangled you."

"So what do you suppose that I do about this?" Draco pointed at his wet shirt, which Harmony was wary not stare at for more than a second.

"Dry it with a spell."

"Don't know any, the house elves do it for me."

Harmony sighed at his hopelessness, and then remembered that she too did not know any such spell. "Then I guess that you will just have to go as you are."

"Screw that," Draco said as he went about to unbutton the shirt clinging to his chest. For some inkling suspicion she thought that Draco had somehow planed this from the beginning. "Well, aren't you going to turn around? This isn't a show, Potter."

"Er, right," Harmony muttered, wishing that she had some ice cold water to cool her senses. Her body slid to the floor, and her forehead rested on the knees she brought close to her chest. A headache, she repeated in her mind, and not the embarrassment rushing to her head.

"I'm done," Draco announced.

Her neck arched as she lifted her gaze to meet his, and stopped. A pale light that seeped from a window glistened against his skin. He stood above her with a hand reaching down and Harmony marveled at his incandescent skin. He smirked as she grasped his hand and pulled her closer, till their bodies nearly touched. For a moment too long they stayed like that. And as if realizing it, he broke the contact. "You're- you're..." Harmony started and Draco's smirk grew, knowing that he was too irresistible for his own good, "sparkling."

"What?" she was met with an odd expression, and as he turned to the mirror, he stared with an open mouth. What light was touching his skin looked as if someone had glued sequences and glitter to his face, and he jumped back from the light as if burned. He touched his face hesitantly, "this better not be permanent."

Class was over by the time they returned and Harmony went straight to Snape's office.

"Professor." Harmony knocked on his door.

"Close the door. What is it, now?" She had not really thought of how to go about to persuade Snape, and she was not using any of Ginny's suggestions.

"Since there is the Hogsmeade trip this Saturday, is it possible to reschedule the lesson?"

"There is no rescheduling dates,' he shot at her in an acidic tone. "Perhaps only times, see me later before 9 on Saturday." Harmony thanked her professor and went back to the potions room to retrieve her bag. There was no evidence of the potion debacle she had caused. There was no sign of any students there either. She crushed her disappointment well.

* * *

More unbelievable than the fact that Snape allowed her to have a merry dandy time at Hogsmeade was that Ginny had actually tied her to a chair. The fortunate thing, thought highly debatable, was that Harmony was still conscious.

"Look Ginny, I swear that I won't run away," Harmony practically pleaded for the tenth time, "I can sit still and proper." She had gone through the most unimaginable torture. She had been pricked with tweezers, smeared with glitter, sprayed with womanly smells, and even her nails were painted.

"Your hands will get in the way, plus I know that you will pay more attention if I do it this way."

"What are you talking about? This is totally unnecessary, I already said that I would go all dressed up, it wasn't an invitation for you to do any of this."

"Harmony, Harmony, why do you struggle?" Ginny smiled cheerfully while draping an arm around her friend's trapped shoulder. "This is for your own good, and now you can't run away. But what am I going to do with your hair? A brush won't do." Ginny's fingers combed Harmony's hair. "It's really soft."

Harmony wanted to yell in frustration, maybe to even call for help, but she had no idea where she was. Ginny had blindfolded her when she was ambushed in the common rooms. "Your glasses are here in this purse, which you will bring with you." Ginny held up a lavender bag. "It's a good thing that I retrieved your invisibility cloak, and snagged one of your dresses."

"What?"

"So what color do you like better, silver or blue?" Ginny held out two eye shadow containers, to which Harmony groaned in distress. "You're right, what was I thinking, purple is so much better."

"Please Ginny," Harmony pouted, "I don't care how I look."

"And that's exactly why I have to do all of this," Ginny responded, "and anyway it is fun, like having a sister."

"But I'm not a doll!"

"Oh, just a few more hair clips and I will be finished." After a bit of touch ups, she cleaned up the battle field of bottles and such. "There." The ropes that restricted her slid to the floor. "Now change into this," Ginny said and held out a light cream dress.

"Okay…now where do I change?"

"Here silly."

"Ginny!" Harmony couldn't help but whine.

"Fine I'll turn around. But you only have one minute, and don't you dare touch your face." Harmony tackled her clothes mindful not to be anywhere near her head, or suffer Ginny's wrath. After in a more presentable state, Ginny turned around and conjured up a mirror for Harmony to see. Not a sound came out of Harmony's lips. Ginny had transformed her. She had become used to seeing herself as a girl, but the girl now in the mirror was different. She leaned in closer to inspect her long black eyelashes, the purple hues that shimmered on her eyelids, and the tiny hint of pink that caught some of the light on her lips. With her scar properly covered, Harmony's vibrant green eyes were the only things that marked her as Harry. She gave a hesitant smile, hoping that this wasn't a female ritual that she would have to master.

"Wow, you did this in only ten minutes."

"Yep," Ginny purred with delight. "So what do you think?"

"It's perfect, no one will suspect me to be Harry."

"Oh, come on! Can't you see that you absolutely gorgeous," Ginny huffed. "I didn't even have to change much. But your hair! Well, it is not as messy as usual, and I am not going to give you extensions to wear." She thought for a moment with her hand brushing her chin before digging in a drawer. "Ah, ha!" She held out a black ribbon, which she quickly changed the color to match the dress, and tied it into a bow. She clasped a clip through it and fastened it to Harmony's short hair a little above her ear and towards her face. "Now go out there and make me proud."

"Wait, aren't you coming with me?"

"Nope, I can't go in and introduce you like that, people may draw in connections relating us together. This is going to be so much fun! Here is the invisibility cloak and purse." Ginny grabbed her and stuffed the silvery material into Harmony's hand. "Now don't be surprised, you're actually in the girl's dormitory," Ginny laughed at Harmony's groan of disbelief, "Ah! Now how did you get Professor Snape to bend over his own detentions, hmm. Did you grab his cloak and get all close with wide eyes, or did you send him a love letter?"

"Merlin! What happened to the sweet Ginny?"

Ginny laughed at her. "I would bet ten galleons that Professor Snape luves you," Ginny pushed her from where they sat, "Now hurry up before the rest of the girls come pouncing in here."

"I'll see you there!"

Harmony ran for the door and tiptoed down the stairs with the invisibility cloak hiding her. Going through her head were the secret passage ways into Hogsmeade. She had an hour to spare, before the students would actually leave Hogwarts. Deciding to leave earlier, she strolled to the third corridor where the one-eyed witch statue stood. She glanced around before taping the witch and whispering the _dissendium_ spell. She internally thanked George and Fred, before entering the secret passageway. Harmony kept the cloak secured over her head, ignoring the darkness that crept along the crumbling walls. A root jutted out from the dirt, which nearly tripped her. "Why do girls even wear these silly shoes," she mumbled as she checked her nails for any chips in their color.

"There," her voice muffled out, before she reached out for the latch which connected to the Honeydukes cellar. She put her ear to the board, and cracked it an inch to see for any life. It was clear. With a swift upward motion, she pulled her body through the trap door and closed it with a jarring clasp. All she had to do was wait for the students to start steaming in.

* * *

Harmony got comfortable on the grass besides the road to Hogwarts, and her mind began to wander. Was it a mistake to come so nicely dressed? Especially since she was meant to meet up with Draco. She still had him classified as dangerous. She could picture Ron's disapproval to her actions so far. She knew that nothing good would come from her interactions with Draco. She sighed, and leaned against a tree behind her. She needed to relax her mind.

She began to pick the stems of grass around her. Peace, she reminded her brain. Her thoughts went through the lectures that Leighton was teaching her. The meditation would calm her, and she needed to practice the nonverbal spells anyway.

She didn't know how long she sat under the maple tree, practicing spells, when Hogwarts students began rushing in. They disturbed her concentration, and ignoring them would do her no good. She began to get uneasy whenever a student she knew came close, especially when they would stare at her. She took special care to conceal her body when a teacher came near, but even that did not still her nerves. When Ron and Hermione came close, she almost hid her face in her hands, but the image of Ginny chiding her for messing up her hard work stopped Harmony. As the two got closer, she noticed that Ron would not stop looking her way, until Hermione caught him and slapped his face. Fred and George followed a bit behind and gave her overwhelming grins, which she returned with her own small smile. Had something gotten on her? Why were they staring? They saw girls around everyday.

Then her nervousness heightened, making her want to throw the invisibility cloak around her tiny body. Harmony had spotted Draco. He was thankfully not a walking diamond and no longer had to avoid the light as if it were a plague. She rose from the grass, and forced her legs to move. She did not notice the student's stares as she passed. Her better judgment told her to turn around and just hide. But she never ran away, not from danger: she faced it. Draco caught her gaze, his eyes widened. His previous sour expression slackened, and transformed to his haughty smirk. She stood in front of him, not allowing any of her misgivings to appear on her face. She had just surrounded herself between Draco and his friends.

"Is that you, Pot—" Harmony instantly reacted, and reached up with her hand to cover his mouth. Her anger flared.

"Didn't I tell you not to use that nick name," she hissed at him, well aware of his friends eyeing her and listening to her every word.

"Of course," Draco said, she withdrew her arm as if his lips had seared her. She stared at lips that had moved against her fingers. He chuckled at her. "I just thought that you stood me up, so you surprised me."

"Who is this, Draco?" Pansy glared at the girl who had touched her precious Draco.

"My date for the day," Draco's smirk persisted as his eyes traveled over the girl, "Harmony." The word 'date' had registered in her mind, as she felt his hand on her wrist, pulling her away from the other Slytherins in their year. When they were far enough away, she yanked her arm from his grasp.

"I am not your date," she spat out words tasting like poison on her tongue. He looked down at her in amusement.

"I only said that so the other boys would not bother you, no need to think that all of my motives are to spite you."

"I can handle boys just fine without your help," she told him, "What, are you scared that I will go after other guys, or something?" She added jokingly, attempting to conceal her unease and erratic emotions.

"It would actually relieve me, if you went after guys instead of girls," A sly smile spread across his features. "Though, if you are referring that you fancy me, then I have nothing to worry about." Harmony could only gape at him, she could feel heat crawling up her neck, to her face and ears. Only he would come up with that.

"Sorry, but I don't plan to ever fall for you, I am completely uninterested." Harmony said, not looking at him.

"People never plan to 'fall in love', it just happens." Draco countered, while tracing her cheek with one finger.

"Merlin, you are impossible." Harmony jolted back, startled. She tried to read his expression, but couldn't. "Don't touch me."

"No need to be dramatic." Draco responded coolly, taking a step closer, lessening the gap between them. "It's a force of habit, really."

"Damn it, just leave me alone." She walked a few steps, before he materialized to her side, placing his hand on her bare shoulder.

"Come on Potter, I'm only teasing, you don't need to get all sensitive." Draco said silkily. She huffed, choosing to ignore his presence. "How about I treat you then?"

"That would be pretty low if you thought that food could win me over." Draco smiled and wrapped his arm around her back. Like a pal, Harmony told herself.

"Never counted on that," Draco said, "but free food makes everyone feel better. It's about time for my afternoon tea." The thought of sipping tea was innocuous enough.

"Sure, if you know a good place for tea." Draco continued to hold her as they walked together into a shop she had never been in before.

"Welcome!" A young woman with a pink fluttering apron greeted them and ushered the two into a booth. "I will come back when you two are ready." Harmony was glad that they got a window seat, so that she could distract herself. Boys and girls sat around her in similar booths and it didn't take her a while to notice that the majority of them were couples.

"What are you trying to pull?" her voice came out strained.

"Nothing, this place has the best tea." Draco said with an innocent enough expression. She scowled as he skimmed the menu. The chatter around the room filled up their silence.

"What would you like?" the waiter smiled, displaying two charming dimples.

"Dragon spice green tea," Draco said and he and the waiter looked to Harmony and her untouched menu. She opened it and picked the first thing she read.

"The er, sorcerers cinnamon please."

"I'll be right back with your order." Luna and Ginny caught her eye, and she quickly looked away. As Harmony, she was invisible to the scrutiny of the world, but she felt the eyes of one person on her, and he would not stop.

"Why are you staring at me?" Draco blinked at her.

"I was wondering why you dressed up," Draco gestured at her dress clad state.

"Not for you, obviously." Harmony replied and saw him struggling not to chuckle.

"You didn't have to meet me as a girl." Draco said, reaching his hand towards her.

"I was forced." Harmony said, moving her hands to her lap.

"Ah, so who do I have to thank?"

Harmony looked up at Draco's face to see him smirking again. It irritated her. "Why are you doing any of this?" Harmony inquired, wondering whether he wanted to make a fool out of her, or if he was serious. The tray came down, separating them. "What do you want from me?" Draco regarded her with a cool silence, deciding instead to sip his tea.

He placed his cup down with a tap and met her green eyes. "All I want is to be your friend." They were going in circles.

"I don't believe you." Did he think it would be that simple? She may be trusting, but that did not make her daft. "You have a hidden agenda."

"Yes," he admitted, "but I don't know if I can trust you."

"What?"

"Do you really expect me be honest?" He narrowed his gray eyes. "When this could ruin me."

"What are you talking about?" She wished that she had Snape's ability to read people. "Then how can we be so called friends, without trust?"

"Fine." Draco's voice lowered, "It is because I do not want to be the Dark Lord's puppet. This is my life, and I am tired of pretending, of following a mad man." Draco brought a hand to where a dark mark would be. "He is unstoppable. I cannot leave, and I cannot go against him." Harmony held his gaze, trying to see the truth in his eyes. He closed them.

"So that's it."

"Yeah, and if anyone knew." It would be a betrayal, and he a traitor.

"Then why befriend me?" Though she would never admit to it, she wanted to know.

"I am not your enemy. It was wrong of me to brawl with you because of where I stood."

"So you feel guilty for treating me like shite. Why not just leave me alone as an apology?"

"Because I need someone there who knows what's right," Draco said earnestly, "so that I don't give in to what the Dark Lord says."

"It'll be difficult, Voldemort will want to use you." Draco clenched his teeth.

"Then the future will tell what I choose, and for whom I do it for."

She looked at him, deciding to believe what he had to say, or call him a dirty liar. His dark grey eyes told her nothing. "Alright, Malfoy," Harmony said, "I understand, we can try this friend thing for real." The corner of Draco's lips lifted.

"Not try, Harmony," Draco replied, "we will be good friends." She didn't respond to him, instead she brought the now bitter tea to her lips.

* * *

"Harry?"

The still clad girl, Harmony, tensed at the blond greeting her. She and Draco had left the tea shop, and he had continued to follow her, even accompanying and her when she went to buy shorts and a tanktop for her new class and recommending the shortest and tightest ones to buy. "You have got to be kidding me." Luna, however, continued to lazily analyze Harmony.

"Luna, what are you talking about?" Ginny asked.

"I'm not wrong," Luna said without question, "You are Harry." They all stared at the girl, and Draco, to his displeasure, was momentarily forgotten.

"How?"

"You feel like Harry, though I will say more real as well." Luna's voice was aloof and she soon noticed Draco.

"Wait," Harmony stopped herself, "no—"

"So you mean at Madam Puddifoots with Malfoy here, that wasn't you? It would make sense why he has been behaving so well."

"What? You were on a date!" Ginny grabbed Harmony's hand, before pointing at Draco, "with him!"

"Ahh!" Pink seeped into her features "This is absolutely—".

"Unbelievable," Draco finished for her.

"Suspicious," Ginny whispered, "then what were you two doing?"

"Fighting," Harmony instantly replied, "right, Malfoy!" Draco lifted a brow.

"There is nothing," he chuckled, "to hide."

"Hey, they will misunderstand if you say that!" Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her dress, and fisted the soft material in frustration.

"The same goes to you, and you better be the one to tell your friends properly." Draco simply stated, turning his head away from the girl.

"What is going on?" Ginny asked and grabbed Harmony's arms.

Harmony had not anticipated revealing anything to anyone. When she choose to keep her identity a secret, to not tell even her two best mates, it was not just for their safety, or keeping things as simple and unchanged as if nothing were amiss. It was more than not wanting to hear their pity, their platitudes for a situation they would never understand and mark her even more as a freak.

She simply did not want people to know. Her life was enough of a public affair, if she were to die in the war, then it wouldn't matter if she were either male or female. If shite made things too difficult, then she could disappear. But life never went as she planned.

"Draco and I," she started, not meeting any of their eyes, "are no longer fighting."

"And what, does that mean that you're dating?" Ginny shot back, her eyes ablaze.

"Well, no, we're just hanging out. For fun… Together." Harmony couldn't quite tell the difference between what she was doing from dating. But surely there was a difference. Surely she had seen Hogwarts students doing that exact thing. Like Ron and Hermione….. "Right."

"So you're just friends," Luna clarified.

"Exactly!" Harmony exclaimed. And that was exactly what she told herself that she was doing. Harmony decided not to think about it any more than she had to. There wasn't anything to think about…Damn it.

* * *

End of Chapter 13


	14. Chapter 14 the Poker face

**Harmony Lives**

**Disclaimer**: Hey, hey, you, you, I'm not JK Rowling. No way, no way, you know it's not a secret. Hey, hey, you, you, I want to own them all-l. No way! No way! No Way!

Chapter 14 the Poker Face

* * *

It was like grains of sand crawled under her skull, grating against her mind. Harmony could barely stand, let alone guard her thoughts. "_Legimens_!" Her eyes dilated, and a cool numbness trickled through her senses.

_It was dark. A small boy sat with knees drawn to his forehead. He sat like that most nights under those stairs. _

Harmony caught her breath, feeling some invader inching its way further into her memories.

_There were dementors surrounding her and Sirius. She looked across the lake for her father, as the wand in her grasp waved, weaker each time. _

Harmony shut her eyes, desperately hoping that it would cease the contact. She felt the presence closer, as if it were ripping chunks out of her mind.

_Draco's face enveloped her focus. He was laughing in a cruel taunting way, she wasn't sure what he was castigating her about, but it struck her. _

"Stop," Harmony mouthed out, breathlessly. Her heart clenched and struggled to calm its erratic beat. This wasn't real, was Snape twisting her thoughts, her memories?

_He held her against a stone wall, gray eyes framed with blond lashes pulling her closer to him. His hands grasped hers and their fingers overlapped. It made her smile, even if it was such a small gesture. He let one of her hands go and brought a smooth touch to her check. Harmony's eyes slowly closed in tranquility. _

_Pain seared her scar, as the touch upon her skin became corrosive. She looked up in shock, into the swirling blood eyes. Ropes held her body to a gravestone. "You are mine."_

Harmony collapsed to the floor, her body shook and her head pounded. "I see that you are in much need of practice." A low acerbic voice came from across the room. She bit her bottom lip to compose herself.

"Again," she said, while still on the floor. She brought her hands down, feeling a rush of blood pulse through her extremities.

"Really?" Snape asked, "but you look quite comfortable there." She forced her legs to stand and she faced him. "Alright, but remember to shield your mind, the worst attacks are the ones to your heart. You can feel my presence, but you must expel me from your thoughts. You must want it." He paused a moment before mumbling _legimens_. And everything became numb. Before she knew it, she was on the floor once more. But she felt something subconsciously. Something Snape was sending her way. Like a breath whispered into her ear the words_, don't trust him_, formed in her brain.

* * *

"Harry, what happened to you?" Ron peered into her tired face. She had changed back from Snape's office and she couldn't rid of the headache prickling behind her eyes.

"He had detention with Snape," Ginny said, joining them.

"Looks more like he's torturing you, Harry." Ron turned away from his little sister.

"I'm alright, just tired," Harmony said, rubbing her eyes from under her glasses. Ginny took her hand before she could protest.

"Harry and I have important matters to discuss, sorry Ron."

"Er, see you around then?" Ron left them, scratching his head.

"Harmony, how many lessons do you have with Snape?" Ginny said quietly as they took two empty armchairs in the common room. The room was empty, save for a few 7th years snogging in a dark corner.

"Er, two times a week," Harmony said.

"Really?" Ginny asked with her hands crossed over her chest. "then where were you last night? And the night before that?" Harmony's mouth hung at a slight right angle, before she could regain her composure.

"What are you talking about? I was here."

"We both know that you were out somewhere, probably meeting someone. And it better have not been Malfoy."

"No!" Harmony jolted in her armchair, her jaw moving before her exhausted brain could. "I was with..er..Dumbledore! Yeah." She whispered, happy with her answer.

"Harmony," Ginny nit her brow. "I'd rather you tell me that you need to keep it secret, then you telling me outright lies. I understand though." Ginny went to get up, but Harmony grabbed her sleeve.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, it's just that it's a bit complicated to explain."

"I'm all ears," she said, with a sly smile on her features, which Harmony failed to notice.

"I have extra classes with Professor Kingscross-"

"Shut up!" Ginny interjected. "That's so unfair."

"Er, right." Harmony chuckled, "so I have been a bit busy."

"Yeah, juggling between three people. Two professors and one student, unless there's another guy I don't know about…Dumbledore..no, I don't think he's into little girls."

"WHAT! Juggling between three guys, no, I'm not seeing anyone."

"Right. Then how do you explain secret rendezvous with Professor Snape, Professor Kingscross, and Draco Malfoy? Besides that, why else would these people be interested in you?"

"Ginny, that is so wrong. No, gross."

"I think you need some protecting, In fact, I think I should join you," Harmony had her mouth open, hoping that there was still time to reverse Ginny's conviction. "Harmony, don't give me that look, it doesn't work."

"Thanks Ginny, but I don't need to be protected."

"The world would eat you alive if they knew you were a girl, so I can't have these three ambitious wankers swallow you up. Come on, there's no harm in a little intervention. Plus I can assist you if you need someone to practice with, or to understand the lesson."

"Wait, so you want to be with Snape and our occlomency lessons?" Ginny's beaming smile dimmed a bit.

"About that…I trust that Professor Snape can be gentleman like and not violate the innocent you; his attacks, though creative, don't really get far in the pursuit of love. Professor Kingscross on the other hand, he's a different story. He looks to be the kind who can obtain his desires, no matter the form or how difficult. And Malfoy has already made his move, with his nosing about in your business, soon he will find out about these late night visits with Professor Kingscross. How then would you guard yourself from all of these advances? Hmm, tell me then if you can handle it."

"Ginny, nothing is going to happen, I have no interest in starting a relationship with anyone, male or female. I will be fine." Harmony stuck her chin in the air, attempting to jut out her jaw line in defiance. Which failed to look anything but petulantly cute.

"Harmony, as a friend I want to help you in any way I can, but if that means following your wishes, and allowing something bad happen to you, then I can't do it." Ginny held out her palm to Harmony. "Trust me."

Harmony looked from Ginny to the little hand being offered, and a tiny smile lifted her cheeks. "Alright," their hands clasped, and she realized that this was the first time holding a girl's hand, and completely not caring about it. "just so long as you aren't joining me to be close to the new professor."

"Hey!" Ginny crossed her arms, pretending to act offended. "Though he may be dishy, you are still the priority in my mind." Harmony smiled. "At least you won't have to worry about me falling head over heels for you, Harmony." Ginny laughed softly and crossed her arms.

"Thanks Ginny," Harmony whispered as she was pulled into a hug. She caught herself smiling uncontrollably, and the pressure and tenseness that she held within eased.

"Get a good night's rest," Ginny patted Harmony's messy hair. Harmony looked at Ginny and for a second thought she saw grief from the girl, but Ginny smiled and held her tightly for one more moment before letting go.

"Ginny, is something the matter?" Harmony asked.

"Nah," she said softly, allowing her red hair to cover part of her eyes, "I'm just happy that I can be this close to you. I always wanted to be." Ginny gave a half smile, "It hurts though, giving up my feelings," Ginny gave a light chuckle. "What am I saying? Silly me."

"Ginny?" Harmony asked. Ginny shook her head and got up from the couch.

"It's nothing important. Rest well." Ginny threw a light shoulder punch at Harmony before the two exited the common room.

* * *

Harmony tiptoed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room, ten minutes earlier than scheduled. With her wand in hand and Ginny to her back, she allowed the magic to drop from her face. Harmony didn't question the other girl trailing behind, Luna must have been the backup. She motioned the two to stop. Under her breath she silenced the door and cast an unlocking spell. She thus kicked the door with a firm leg, and peered inside. The three formed a triangle, facing different directions.

"Where is he?" Ginny asked, and the girls took timid steps into the room.

"Anywhere really."

"Was that grizzly bear here before?" Luna asked, pointing to a statue against the wall.

"Just ignore the oddities of the room, Leighton probably just wrestled with it and won," Harmony mumbled as she scanned around. They stood in the middle of the room and shadows fell across the floor from the setting sun.

"Maybe he's not here," Ginny whispered, lowering her wand a fraction.

"No, he's here," Harmony began to feel the tension of her magic. "He's going to do something-" The door that they had entered slammed shut. "Hold it." At the corner of her eye, Harmony saw something shift. She focused on the spot, but nothing was there, just rows of artillery.

"Hey, where did that bear go?" Ginny asked to Harmony's right. She squinted her eyes, and indeed the bear was gone. A misty light streamed from her wand. What was going on? She moved her wand to the left and not three feet away was the bear statue on all fours.

"The hell?" Harmony muttered. The stuffed statue started growling. It rose on its hind legs, looming over their heads. To Harmony's dismay, the bear wasn't as stuffed as she had hoped. Luna grabbed Harmony's hand. Ginny immediately turned to face the brown bear and gave a surprised yelp.

"No, don't move," Harmony said.

"Are you crazy, that thing is going to crush you," Ginny shot back and grabbed the girl by the back of her robe. The bear went on all fours before charging their way.

"But the professor isn't here yet, the bear isn't real." Harmony blasted a stunning spell over her shoulder. Which unfortunately didn't work.

"Harmony, that bear is real alright," Luna said, "let's split!" They went in opposite directions and the grizzly turned its head from side to side, and continued to growl. Its eyes locked onto Harmony before it began to lumber towards her. Harmony shot spell after spell, deciding then to stop shouting the spell names audibly.

"Harmony, look out!" Ginny had thrown a huge ax her way, aiming at the bear, and struck it into the wall a foot away from Harmony's head.

"Ginny!" Harmony shouted, and from the wall she took down her own weapon. She held a machete way over her head as a paw swiped down at her. It knocked away her weapon. "Shite." A giant paw pinned her shoulder to the wall, and spells were reflected from its back that Luna and Ginny were sending.

It was crushing her, she could only gasp as she tried to pry the paw off. Why the hell was there a bear here? And why hadn't it ripped her head off yet? The bear's shaggy fur began to recede, and the sent of pine and wood lessened. The force slackened and a hand remained where a paw had been on the wall. She let in a breath before opening her eyes and turning her head to see Leighton's honeycomb colored eyes and grinning smile.

"Surprised?" he asked, showing a row of teeth.

"Not really," Harmony mumbled. Leighton took a step back and confronted the other two girls.

"Is this becoming a club or something?" Leighton asked and stretched his right arm where there was a light scratch.

"We're just supervising, sir," Ginny said as she eyed the professor. "You look different, more young."

"That's because I am young, and the main reason I choose to look older is a matter between the headmaster and myself." The scratch on Leighton's arm disappeared. "Am I wrong to presume that you two, Ginny and Luna, will be frequent visitors."

"That's right," Ginny nodded, pleased that it was this easy.

"Which would mean," Leighton smiled, "that each of you will be given code names." Harmony smacked her forehead with her palm, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Code names, professor?" Ginny asked with a raised brow.

"Yes," Leighton brought a fist to his chin, "You," he pointed at Ginny, "will hereby be known as Hook, and you," he added as he then turned his finger to Luna, "will be known as Dash." Luna didn't even blink from the name. "But it would seem that we will have another visitor tonight," Leighton scrunched up his nose, "a weasel."

The door to the room popped open and Draco, who had been leaning against the frame, landed on the hard stone tiles. (But somehow had made it to look as graceful as anyone in such a position could.) He instantly got on up and brushed the seat of his robes.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny held her hands on her waist as she made her way in front of Draco.

He regarded her with a cool air, "I'm on prefects duty," he said and his eyes fell on Harmony. Which indirectly told them his reasons for crouching behind a door, and blatantly eavesdropping.

"Yeah, but why would you be at my door?" Leighton asked, not really caring for an answer. "I am quite too busy to inquire from you when I could ask your head of house as to why he is sending his students to crouch at my door."

"I can see that you are busy," Draco said with a bored glance around the three girls, his gaze then fell on Leighton and his eyes blinked twice as he noticed Leighton's appearance. It was like a dark shadow engulfed Draco, in cold loathing. A slight sneer spread across his features. "This is unbelievable, you. I've seen you before. Merlin, it's a good thing I came, so I could report this."

"Report what now?" Leighton said, staring down at Draco and not intimidated at all.

"I saw you with her, over the summer," he said angrily pointing at Harmony, without looking at her. He couldn't stand to look anywhere else. "And I see you once more, without your disguise, with her no less! Say, what are you doing with these girls, way after school hours, in such an illicit kind of gathering where God knows what could be happening. You are deceiving everyone, and none of the student's parents would like to hear that you, looking like a 7th year, are our professor. When my father and the press hear about how this school is run, then its over for you, Sir!" Draco ended with a hiss of mock respect.

Like a statue coming to life, Leighton opened his jaw to say, "Are you very much finished?" and yawned.

One of Draco's eyebrows twitched. "Do not belittle me! I can have you sacked!"

"Draco!" Harmony reprimanded, joining Ginny and Leighton. "He is a friend and is helping me with extra lessons to defeat Voldemort. This has nothing to do with you."

"Tell me, what does he benefit from helping you? What are you giving him, hmm? What? You actually think that he is doing this from the goodness of his heart. No." Draco spat out. When Harmony did not change her expression, Draco tensed even more. "Are you going to say that you trust him?"

Something in Harmony's brain echoed, a light tap to her memories. Don't trust him. Had Snape foreseen this? Who was the he that she was to not trust. "You. What makes you think that I give my trust out so easily? Do you think that because now we are friends you can tell me what to do? This is bigger than you or me." Harmony fisted her hands to tight balls, her eyes fastened on his. "Who do you think you are?" His eyebrow twitched, for a moment it would look like his cold harsh exterior would drop, but just as quickly as the hurt came, he replaced it with apathy.

"I see," he said, "So this is it." He shook his head. "I guess I made a fool out of myself, but I understand well enough." His eyes never left hers. "Bye then."

Something in the unnatural and detached way Draco had said that made her throat constrict. Like something bad would happen if she let him go. He was already to the door. She should just let him leave, and make things easier. The others were standing near her, already putting that interruption away. "Wait." She said, surprising everyone, and even herself. She had not said it loud enough. He had already left. "I'll be right back," she said, and Ginny had an eyebrow raised and a slight frown. Harmony took a light run out the door, but she didn't have to go far. A hand caught her wrist, making her momentum nearly trip her over. Draco had been stationed near the exit. And a overwhelming smirk took over his face.

"Miss me already?" he teased, allowing her hand to be free. Like all of his previous anger had melted away, he stared at her with new eyes. Heat began to form on her checks, and not from the brisk run she could not convince herself had raised her temperature. Draco must have noticed because the smirk on his face, wasn't a smirk at all. He was smiling. "But really, I had no idea you really wanted me to stay."

"I have enough people misunderstanding me," Harmony began, "there is nothing going on between me and Leighton." She put up a hand when it looked like he was going to interject at that. "I am taking these lessons to prepare for war." To her relief he did not say anything snide, instead he nodded his head with a calculating face.

"Then it's settled," Draco made his way back to the room, where three people watched him. "I would like to join these lessons, professor." Leighton looked at Harmony, and seeing her shrug, he scratched his head.

"Something tells me that even if I don't allow you here, you will still manage to slip in. Remember those who have joined today, that these lessons are for Cub and for her survival. None of you will use what I teach to harm other students." He looked directly at Draco, who did not blink. "If you fall behind, then you will have to practice if you want to continue. These lessons will not be easy." All of the students nodded their heads. "For the next two months we will begin something new. Step back."

The students went back four feet and watched Leighton intently. The change was almost instantaneous. Instead of a man, a grizzly bear stood in his place. A bear that was definitely smiling, but even that made it seem more malevolent. They couldn't believe it; they were going to learn animagus transfiguration. Leighton reverted to his real appearance.

"Two months?" Draco said in disbelief. "And I bet illegally as well."

"All the more fun, still up for my lessons, Frisker?" Leighton asked.

"I like a challenge," Draco said, "and the name is Malfoy, not Frisk-er."

"My class, my rules," Leigthon turned away from Draco. "The animagus transfiguration will enable each of you a higher level of magic control. We will start each lesson with animagus practice, and the rest of the time will be for other things."

"Is it even possible to learn it in two months?" Ginny asked.

"When I was seven years old," Leighton informed them, "I had unknowingly transfigured myself. It is surmountable, if you know what you are doing."

"Oh," Harmony mouthed out, "Your animagus animal and protronus are the same." Leighton smiled at her.

"As a kid, I had a stuffed animal of a muggle toy, called a teddy bear. I guess I thought that it would protect me from the evils in the world, so I used it as my protronus. But now I know what will really protect me," Leighton chuckled a bit, "myself." Nobody doubted that. "A good way to discover your power animal is to meditate, and to really know yourself. Without this knowledge, you may even reject that animal and never acquire your true form. This is a self discovery, and you may not even like the form you take." Leighton smiled a bit, switching his gaze from the girls to Draco for a brief second. "Sometimes you can look at someone and just tell what their animagus form would be." This irked Draco, but he kept his composure.

"Oh really? Tell us who and which animal you think would be their animagus form," Draco challenged. Leighton sighed a bit.

"Professor Snape," Leighton asked, "what do each of you think he would be?"

"A bat," Harmony said.

"A rattle snake," Ginny decided.

"A platypus," Luna said thoughtfully.

Draco lifted a brow, "For all I care, he could be a sea urchin."

"You are all wrong," Leighton concluded, " though Luna would be the closest. An animal with a look so menacing, so misunderstood, that it was killed on sight, and is now believed to be extinct. Severus would be the Thylacine," after noticing their blank stares he added, "more commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger."

"And how would you know that?" Draco asked crossing his arms.

"When you attain a level of awareness concerning the nature of people and their magic, it is quite simple, you just have to look." Leighton explained, as if it were obvious.

Draco looked back unconvinced, "Snape doesn't have an animagus form, you're probably making this up."

"Remember you can walk out of my door anytime you wish. Even if you don't believe me, it's still going to be true."

"So you know our animagus forms?" Harmony asked quickly, seeing the glare that Draco didn't even try to hide.

"Yes, I have a clear idea."

"But you won't tell us," Ginny said.

"That's a great idea!" Leighton nodded his head in satisfaction. "Any further questions before we begin?"

"DUMBLEDORE!" Harmony shot her hand in the air, as if it was class, "what is his form?"

"You all should guess, but with your knowledge about him this time," Leighton said while looking into their eyes.

"A phoenix," Ginny thought out.

"No, a hippogriff," Draco said.

"A great horned owl," Luna added.

"A bug," Harmony muttered, causing the others to look her way.

"Very good Cub," Leighton said, "an insect indeed, but a noble insect nonetheless. No further questions. Because the mind is the key to catch your power animal, concentration is important. Now put these blindfolds on."

* * *

End of Chapter 14. Oh and by the way, I'm still alive.


	15. Chapter 15 the Party

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 15, the Party

**Disclaimius**: I'm here for your entertainment, Oh! Bet you thought I was writing sweet, you thought my words would sweep you off your feet, but I'm bout to turn up the heat, I'm here for your entertainment… Oh woah! I'm also not JKR… Woah oh! Going to entertain you till you scream.

* * *

"What am I doing?" Came a voice from a four poster bed. A single candle flickered from a breeze which should have been impossible. There were no posters of favorite Quidditch teams adorning the walls, no clutter, cards, or photos heaped on wooden surfaces, there was not a single carelessly tossed sock on the black marble floor. The only indication that the inhabitant of this room was a teenage school student were the regal looking school robes and the textbooks that were kept neatly in a low bookshelf. If someone had a look inside, that blatantly uninvited stranger (since nobody had been welcomed in since the owner of the room had moved in five years back) would find nothing of interest, though the only thing worth its value was in fact a person. The same one situated on the bed.

Draco Malfoy clenched his fists tight enough for his short trimmed nails to dig into the fleshy part of his palm. He stared angrily at the top of the ceiling to his bed, at lines that crosshatched from the abuse of many spells. The morning sun had come up by now, but there were no windows to see it. He put a fist to his head and pushed down hard enough for the bed to groan in distaste. "It's all wrong," he said aloud, not having to be quiet since he never had to share a room with anyone. He hadn't been following the plan; the plan for him to best Potter. Draco had been sure that it would be easy and simple. He had played the charmer, hid his disgust, crafted his face to be the image of absolute desire, and the most he got in response was marginal trust and reluctant acceptance. Sure there were some instances where it looked like Potter and him were making progress, as if she would be interested in something more. But Draco wasn't sure anymore if he wanted to continue. And he had no idea why.

He got up and from his closet extracted a fresh school uniform. Draco's mind continued to wander. He had loyalties to his father and the Dark Lord, he didn't know what he would do if anyone found out how dangerously close he was actually getting to Potter. He wasn't a traitor. He had to prove his worth and gain his conviction. Potter was planting her own tricks in his mind. He thought back to the Hogsmead trip. He had been taken aback at how pretty she looked. He laughed aloud with no merit, at his foolishness. Of course she probably had her whole face warped with magic. He combed his silky hair easily. Worst of all he was beginning to change in his thoughts, conveniently forgetting that he was tricking Potter. He wondered if he believed the lies he fed her. "Of course I want to fight alongside the Dark Lord," he told himself. The end of October was creeping through his thoughts, and he had to act fast.

When had his ambitions become so spineless? He had previously blamed it on the potion that she blotched and that had exploded all over him and made him sparkle in the light. He was sure that it had twisted his thoughts to see her better. And for a moment that had scared him when he found out that he generally liked the girl. But he knew inside his heart that it was all wrong. He knew that he could destroy Potter at any moment. But it disturbed him. He stared at his reflection and gave a heart throbbing smile.

No, there was still hate in his heart.

The smile warped into something cruel. "Malfoy's do not back down," Draco told the image of his mirrored self, "they re-strategize". On his way down to the Great Hall, the younger Slytherines steered clear from Draco, as if they felt his strange cheer, or at least heard him laughing to himself. In fact, Draco was in a terrific mood. And that meant something wicked was to come.

Which did indeed happen, but not in the context brought from Draco's hand. Dumbledore stood from his chair gaining the attention of the present students. The winsome dotard took a brisk look to his lower robes, and to the student's delight, they were in place. He cleared his voice for effect as well as taking in a deep breath. "I am pleased to announce," he began as the students' eyed the pink fluffy sleeping cap atop Dumbledore's head, "that in celebration for Halloween, there will be a masquerade party for all students." A hoot of cheer came from the mass of students, and realizing that he was being ignored and that his tea was brewing for ten seconds too long, he abruptly sat down. The teachers had matching nit brows; save for Leighton who looked to be too busy enjoying his honey smeared pancakes.

Malfoy eyed Harmony from across the room with a cold calculation. He just had to be careful, and not get any closer to her. But still something was not quite right. He put down his jam toast, having lost his appetite, and made his way to potions class early. There was not a soul in the room and Draco claimed his usual seat at the back. Before he could drop his bag to the floor, somebody stepped in. Draco was surprised to see Potter staring at him from across the room. He instantly stiffened. "Why are you here?" he asked turning to her, "and as a girl?"

Harmony looked taken aback, and took a few steps closer towards him before stopping. "The Great Hall is in a huge commotion, with everybody asking each other for a dance, I barely escaped from Ginny." The space between them seemed to be widening.

Draco leaned back in his seat, nearly touching the wall. "You didn't answer either of my questions," he said. Even from the darkness of the room he could see how her cheeks ever so slightly heated with color. With his head titled back, his eyes were slits.

"I wanted to see," Harmony paused, "Professor Snape." Draco chuckled, he knew that she was lying. He smiled smugly as he patted the chair next to him.

"Have a seat, he is still at the Great Hall." Draco moved the chair out for her, with a sheen in his eyes. With a paused hesitance she carefully stepped towards him, never straying from his eye contact. Draco then realized his fatal mistake. As impossible as it would seem, he was too close to her. The scent of her hair made him involuntarily breathe in deeper. She smelled of jasmine. Though she was tenaciously staring ahead, that thought didn't process. His eyes traveled over her fair skin, from her full pink lips up to the curve of her snub nose. She wasn't wearing glasses, and his fingers twitched as he crossed her cheek bones towards the arch of her eyebrow. He then looked into her eyes, and her eyes moved towards him. She was alluring. His breath caught when he felt how much his body was betraying him at this moment. He tried to look casually away, but he cursed in his mind as he saw from the corner of his eye that she wore a small smile. No, he had to control his body. Draco closed his eyes tightly; she would be the death of him.

"You'd better change back before anyone sees," Draco persisted to look anywhere but at the girl, but he was aware as she shrugged her shoulders and shifted her body. He let out a breath he had no idea he was holding and faced the now boyish looking Potter. But still his heartbeat skittered, he could see the girl in his mind's eye, and he could not turn away from Harmony. Looking at the boy now, it was easy to fool himself into thinking that Potter was disgusting.

Footsteps echoing through the halls, alerting Draco to regain his composure. Harmony then put on glasses that had been tucked away in the folds of her robe. When the last of the desks were filled, a dark cloak swept into the room, signaling the entrance of the professor. Snape waited on no one.

"Today we shall be brewing the antidote for some of the most toxic concoctions known to the wizarding world. Your attention is crucial today because you will be testing your antidote against several of these toxic poisons. And you wouldn't want to spend the masquerade party in the hospital wing, now would you," Snape said indifferently. Behind his back a list of ingredients appeared on the black board. "Turn to page six hundred and sixty six, and begin." Snape extracted from his robes a vial filled with a liquid that looked to be water, but most definitely wasn't, to the students' dismay.

Draco busied himself by flipping through the pages, and following the first step of setting the flame so that the cauldron would heat to 193 degrees Celsius. Harmony left with a tray to get the ingredients and Draco laid out knives and a cutting board. He was delighted to note that there were only a few ingredients for this potion, but judging by the book, the directions looked to be complicated. He could not lower his eyes when Harmony reappeared, and from her robes he could make out the slight curves of her hips. Though robes were sometimes a blessing, he wished that they allowed the physique of the wearer to show. His eyes skimmed briefly over her tie, to the white collared shirt that peaked over her vest. He had to direct his attention to her tray as she neared, which thankfully was at her waste level. "Good to see that you haven't mixed everything up this time," Draco said as she sat next to him. She shrugged her shoulders as she bent down to place her book onto her lap. He found himself watching her once more, and forced his head into his own potions book. "We need to grind the roots of that plant into clay," Draco muttered as he pointed at her tray. With a steady hand he picked the salamander tail and sliced it into one-centimeter pieces.

Draco's concentration that he usually paid to the potion was elsewhere. His eyes lingered to her hands, as she kneaded a dough like thing, shaping it into an animal before throwing it at their cauldron. He luckily caught it before it fell into the pot. "What is this?" he asked.

She looked at the dough that was squished between his fingers. "A cat," she said. Draco looked to the book, and saw no mention of a cat. Draco then thought back to the other potions that they worked on, and then knew why they weren't as good as his usual work. He then saw that the dough had little clumps that had not been mixed properly.

"Give me your hands," he commanded as he put the dough into her palms. His own hands wrapped around hers as he pressed gently, squeezing them together. "You need to apply pressure so that there are no air bubbles," he explained. They were facing each other, with the cauldron between them. He looked into her green eyes before abruptly withdrawing his hands. The dough fell into the pot, and sizzled, making the potion turn an inky indigo blue. luckily the hue was close enough to the drawing in the book. He sighed in relief. She looked at him with curiosity.

"Something the matter, Draco?" she whispered. He had watched her lips move, and though they weren't as heart shaped as when she was a girl, he still found his stomach reacting. Her voice was the same. He shook his head. Yes, he thought, this is a mess.

"No," he simply said, as he took a ladle and made counterclockwise circles in the blue liquid. He had to concentrate. The room was too silent, and Draco looked up at other partners. Instead he saw Professor Snape's crossed arms. There was a frown on Snape's lips as his eyes were on Harmony. He looked at the girl, and saw that she held an open bottle to the cauldron. Draco grabbed her hand, stopping the miscellaneous brown substance from flowing in. "What," he asked, "do you think you're doing?"

Draco didn't let go of her hand. "Nothing," she said, "just some vanilla extract." His mouth dropped.

"Are you daft? Why would you do that?" he could already see the explosion erupting his superb face.

"Well, I'm going to drink it later, so better that it tastes good," she whispered. He could not believe it.

"No, it's better that it doesn't kill you," he muttered.

"What are you talking about, I add sugar and honey in all the time," she said. Her face distracted him for a moment.  
Draco shook his head, amazed at her stupidity. "You can't just add anything you want, the properties of the potion react specifically to what you put in."

"I know," she said, "but Snape, will fail me anyway, so might as well have it be a sweet failure."

"No," he said, "I'm starting to think that I should hold your hand as we make the potion."

"You already are," she said softly. Draco looked at the offending hand that clasped on the girl's wrist, and realizing that it brought forth a pleasant warmth, he yanked his hand away. The force spilled the vanilla over her shirt, and dripped down to the parchment of her book.

"Potter," came Snape's low growl, "Detention!" Harmony said nothing as she wiped the vanilla, making the brown stain further.

"But Sir," squeaked a recognizable voice, "Harry did nothing."

One of Snape's eyelids vellicated. He turned to the redhead boy and glared at him, superciliously, down his hooked nose. "Weasley, would you like a detention as well?"

Ron whimpered, but kept his eyes on the Professor. "This is the third detention this week, and each time Harry has done nothing. Last time you gave him a detention for dropping his quill."

"On purpose," Snape said, by now every students' eyes were on their professor, all but Draco who watched Harmony from his corner.

"And the time before that, all he did was sneeze," Ron retorted, he was determined now.

Like a tree twisting and turning unable to find light, Snape's form hunched crookedly over Ron, his spidery fingers latched to the desk. "Would you like to take his detention instead, Mister Weasley?"

Ron hesitated before bobbing his head, in the fashion of a yes. "Yes, sir," he squeaked.

"Very well then, you both will have a detention, separately."

"Why!" Ron sputtered.

"Obviously because I do not want to see the two of you at the same time," the Professor snarled. But Draco heard none of what Snape or Ron were saying, all what fell to his ears were the light rustling of clothes as Harmony picked at her shirt. He had handed her a handkerchief, which he followed with his eyes as she used it to collect vanilla. She handed it back to him, and Harmony said not a word. The last direction was for the potion to settle in the dark for a night. He collected it into a glass vessel and covered it. Draco was thankful that the students who finished could leave early. He left before her, but stood near the entrance.

"Why does Professor Snape give you all of those detentions?" Draco asked Harmony when she walked out the door.

"I don't know, maybe he's bored," Harmony replied.

"I didn't think that he would be able to put up with you every other night," Draco challenged. Harmony gave a light laugh that tinkled in his ear.

"Maybe you don't know him so well after all," she said, waving a bye to him. When she was far enough, he took the stained handkerchief and gripped it tightly to a fist. Though the vanilla extract overpowered his senses, he could still trace the aroma of jasmine that lingered, and he crushed the fabric as he walked to his next class. He'd have to follow her later at night.

* * *

Draco felt the sting before he saw the blow. The Defense Against the Dark Arts Room was dimly lit, and they were practicing dueling. Not the kind that he had performed in front of his school mates in his second year, but the one where there were no rules. He had thought that he would be a decent fighter, but in actuality, he was a good hider. Throughout the room there were constructed walls, and ledges; so that they could corner someone or use it as a shield. Draco stooped behind one now, listening intently to his surroundings. Occasionally he could hear the blast of a spell colliding against a wall and the debris of splinters thudding against the ground, but otherwise this was a game of ambush. Professor Kingscross, as Draco refused to call him HoneyDukes, wanted them to open up their natural senses. "Let your animal side take over," he had said, but Draco was finding such a thing to be increasingly challenging. The beast inside of him was dormant. When he thought of a gaping maw, like that of a shark, it didn't settle properly within him. When he thought of powerful forearms, of that of a gorilla, tuffs of coarse black fur did not sprout across his arms. Draco could not even utter a feral note of any sort. Surely there was something wrong with the professor's teaching method. He had gone through numerous animal kingdoms, gone through all of the venomous reptiles, the malicious beasts, exotic creatures, and magical fay, but none matched his power animal.

Behind him, he felt the presences of something else. It was a light vibration that normally he would not have picked up. He faced the noise, and under his breath he muttered a disorienting spell. A hazy blue light shot from his wand and struck a wooden wall, but not before he made out the outline of someone. He smirked at his success, and dove behind a ledge and shot another spell. He wasn't sure if he had hit the person, but he continued on. From the other end of the room, someone else was running atop the wall structures and jumping from ledge to ledge. He watched as the thin frame of the girl dodged different colored spells. He stationed himself between two walls that made a corner, thinking that nothing could then sneak up on him. But when he felt the presence of yet another, he had miscalculated. he had not created an exit way, and had essentially backed himself into a corner. He silently cursed his foul luck, and kept absolutely still. His wand was held out in front of him, and shock as he looked from side to side. He could almost feel the breath of that person standing over him, and he lashed out with his wand, firing with spell after spell. He took a few steps to run away, but something had grabbed his arm, Pushing him into the nearest wall. Large hands clasped over the back of his neck and shoulder, pinning his face into the wall. He knew that it had to be Professor Kingscross.

"What's the matter Frisker? Can't keep up with everyone?" Professor Kingscross broke the silence, and let Draco go. Humiliation coursed through Draco's being, and he wanted to _crucio_ that bloody wanker. Draco spun around but he had already eluded him.

"Damn it," Draco muttered, he had to do something, but punching a wall or kicking something would only alert the others to his whereabouts. He brought a fist to his lips and bit down. He wouldn't lose.

All around the room were traps, pits to fall into, collapsing walls, oiled floors, and blinding lights; many of which Draco had set up. He kept a sharp eye for the others, while still managing to be concealed. There. To his left he could see the silhouette of a girl tip toeing away from him. Draco acted at once, slinking her way. Each step he took was sure footed and light, like that of a small animal scampering across a room. It wasn't until he was nearly five feet away that he stopped and melted with the black wall, it was a good thing for him too, as the girl came to a halt and looked back over her shoulder. They stayed motionless, she straining her eyes into darkness, and him staring at her. When she thought it clear she moved, and he followed behind her like a shadow, nearly touching her. Draco latched his hand to the back of her shoulder, bringing his wand to her throat. "Got you," he said with uncontrollable glee. The girl's head twisted painfully to the right, as far from the wand pointed to her neck. Draco smelled jasmine, it thrilled him. 'You are mine,' was at the tip of his tongue.

"I thought I heard a rat behind me," Harmony said, "but I was mistaken, it was you." Draco grinned down at her, and chuckled.

"You're just upset that I caught you," Draco said, "turns out, that even the lion can be bested."

"Let go of me," Harmony said, annoyed by his antics.

Draco liked this, "make me," he said softly. Harmony gripped her wand and jabbed it to his ribcage, making him grit his teeth to stop him from yelling out. "That was low," he whimpered and released her.

"This isn't a game," Harmony said. Anger fumed from her small frame, but instead of lashing out, she turned away from him and ran. He gritted his teeth. This was a game; A game of cat and mouse.

"I'll get you, Harmony," Draco mumbled. "You'll see."

Lights brightened the room. "Alright class," Kingscross's voice echoed through the obstacle like course. The walls were beginning to shake and join the floor once more. Ginny, who had been jumping atop the makeshift walls, glided through the air, before landing gracefully on her feet. Draco found his way towards them, eying Harmony from a distance.

"Where is Luna?" Harmony asked, Draco then noticed that the barmy girl was nowhere.

"Who, cub?" the Professor asked.

"Dash," Harmony corrected herself, "where is Dash?" The Professor pointed above his head, where there was an upside down girl with long hair who hung from the rafters. His pointing hand waved to her.

"How'd you get up there?" Ginny asked.

"I climbed," Luna responded, and progressed to magically climb back down in demonstration.

"I hope you all are familiar with your animal instincts, because we will be going on an adventure," the Professor paused, "Well, multiple ones." The students shared four concerned glances, making him smile reassuringly. "It will be fun." They weren't convinced.

"When are we to go?" Ginny asked.

"Since it is almost the end of October," Kingscross thought out loud, "tonight will do." He started for his office, and the students followed uncertainty behind him. On his desk was a key, a sea shell, a torn book cover, a clay drinking cup, a fraying toothbrush, and a jar of honeydukes candies. "A month and a half has passed, and I think that most of you will be able to transfigure into animal forms." Their eyes were set warily on the objects atop his desk. "The objects here are portkeys to different biomes, and if you are in your natural animal habitat, it may induce the transformation." They clustered around the seemingly innocuous key. "Questions anyone?"

"Er, will our safety be ensured?" Draco asked.

"Most indifferently," Kingscross chuckled, "now on the count of three, we'll all grab the key, the portkey." The students looked stunned, and comical with their hands poised for action. "One. Two. Three!" Draco internally cursed the professor for choosing such a small object for five people's hands, but thankfully his index finger had the pleasure of being crushed next to Harmony's. But then the nauseating feeling of being ripped out of space, and tugged by the belly to unknown danger, made the fleeting moment of pleasure forgotten. Which was also made up for when he landed not so gracefully on his bottom, with a limp Harmony atop his lap. He would have appreciated this if not for the headache pounding his brain.

The heavy smell of dirt mixed with humidity hit him first. There were trees that reached up as far as he could see, with extended branches and leaves that covered the sun. He could still see clear enough, and the others had their necks bent looking up. Something leaped above him, but it was too far to see. "Welcome to Madagascar," Kingscross said smiling, throwing his arms back in the process. An animal was screeching from far above them, and Draco thought that it wasn't so impressive, just a bunch of large trees and little vegetation.

"This place is beautiful," Harmony said softly and turned in a slow circle. "What are we doing here, Leighton?"

"Do any of you feel something making you feel at home?" the Professor asked with a wide smile.

"I feel like something creepy is watching me," Draco muttered, brushing dirt from his robes.

"Hey, where's Luna?" Ginny asked, "I could have sworn that she had got on the portkey with us." Indeed the girl was no where in sight, and Draco sighed, hoping that it didn't mean that they had to stay any longer in this God forsaken tropical forest.

"That's because Dash has discovered a part of herself, her wild side." Kingscross pointed up. Draco squinted his eyes, and indeed saw a strange monkey looking creature. It was staring down at them from a newly forming sapling tree, and soon went to swinging from branch to branch. It must have been leaping eight meters, because it had long arms and legs that were perfect for moving. The thing was a fuzzy reddish brown creature, and they watched it lazily from where they stood.

"What is that?" Draco asked in an uncaring manner, as the creature hung from a branch with its tail flailing side to side. It was looking at him.

"A blue-eyed black lemur," Kingscross answered him, "or also known as the Sclater's lemur. Here Dash!" Leighton held out his arm, and Luna dropped from the tree, landing on his head. They stared at her, and Draco was surprised to see that she had wide ice blue eyes. There was something creepy about looking at the lemur, like there was a familiar face behind the unkempt fur, one with human intelligence. He could see the wisdom, even as it examined the top of their Professor's head.

"Are you sure it's her?" Harmony asked, peering at the lemur. The animal appeared to understand her, because it turned its head towards her and gave a slow blink.

"I think Luna is cute," Ginny said holding her own arm out and Luna leaped on her, to her head. Draco though, thought the creature creepy looking with its blue eyes. It stared at him and gave a small high-pitched rumble from her throat.

Kingscross scratched his head, and thought out loud, "in this species, the female is the more dominant counterpart, not the male." Luna picked at Ginny's ears, and grasped the girl's red hair. "Dash, you better change back, the others need a try at their animagus forms as well." Luna the lemur, nodded her ruffed head and jumped from Ginny, landing to the forest floor. Clothes appeared and a familiar face with striking blue eyes peered back at them.

"That was fun," Luna said when her lips formed.

"Wicked!" Ginny exclaimed, "you are a bloody amazing animal!" Luna gave a small smile in response. They all stood near the key, and Leighton used magic so that the key hoovered within all of their grasps.

"Alright, now, we don't want to lose anybody. On the count of three. One. Two. Three!" Draco latched onto the tiny key, with his index finger and thumb grasping the thin metal. He had closed his eyes so that he wouldn't get disoriented from the spinning colors, and when they reopened, they were all situated in Kingcross's office. "Now the next one!" Leighton pointed to a torn book cover, and before they could fully regain their balance, one, two, and three was shouted out, and desperate hands gripped the portkey.

This time water engulfed him. Surprise struck Draco, and his immediate response was to lash out, splashing madly. He wasn't prepared for this. The water was frigid and something was sucking him further into the current. A wave went over his head, and he closed his eyes from the salinity of the water. He wasn't a good swimmer, having hated beaches and open waters. In fact, he barely knew how to swim. He broke the surface, to breathe, but water gushed into his mouth. The saltiness burned his throat, and his legs thrashed in all directions. He couldn't touch the bottom with his feet and he tried to keep above the waves. A cold dread was eating away at his senses. What was happening? His robes were dragging him down, and he struggled to strip them off. His wand hid uselessly against his belt, forgotten. Fear was making him desperate. He couldn't breathe. His arms scooped through the water, blind with determination. Draco's pounding heart demanded oxygen, and his lungs filled up with icy water. The current swept him down into the dark water, in different directions. He couldn't see, and his limbs were turning numb, losing the fight against the water. His head miraculously broke the surface, and he couldn't see anyone near him. Before he could call for help, a wave swallowed him like a rag doll into the sea below. Draco thrust his arms in different directions. Oxygen! He needed air! This wasn't how he was supposed to die. His arms and legs were limp under the water. This wasn't right. His eyes opened, and through the murkiness he could see light. His lungs ached with pain, and his brain was beginning to go numb. No. This couldn't be happening. He allowed the ocean to carry him. He wanted to live. He closed his eyes, hollow lungs now filled with water. There was no air. He was dragged further under, and the pain ebbed slowly away.

Draco didn't feel the hand that grasped the back of his robes, pushing him up. He didn't feel the air as he broke the surface, the sand and shells that grated against his back as he was dragged to shore, or the slaps that hit his face. He felt nothing, like it was all too late. He was on his back, positioned like he was sleeping. Something was hitting his chest, but it was distracting him from his rest. A foreign warmth spread over his body. He wished to be left alone, and hex the person messing with him, but his arms were like lead at his side. Air was being forced into his lungs, but it did nothing for him. It was still black. Then water came up, forced out from his blue lips. Draco's eyes opened wearily, and he turned to his side and threw up water. He hated the beach. He sucked in a grateful breath, but as Draco saw that it was Kingscross who kneeled next to him, a hate consumed him.

"Guess you aren't a marine animal, Frisker," Kingscross commented. Shite faced buggard, Draco thought bitterly. He wanted to drag the man into the ocean drown his sorry arse. Luna and Ginny stared at him, and Draco felt embarrassment next. He couldn't see Harmony, and pictured her forming gills, or with bulging eyes, but it didn't fit with his image of her. He examined his surroundings and saw that they were on a dirty shore, gray with foam and pollution. No wonder his mouth tasted like rust and salt. Harmony was to his side, lying on her back, looking deathly pale. He put two and two together, and figured that Harmony had suffered like him. Kingscross's head nodded sagely. "Now you all know what its like to be in a habitat that is most definitely not your own. Maybe our next lesson will be on swimming." Draco shot looks like bullets into their Professor's head. He wanted to yell at that man, for almost killing him and Harmony. He still felt weak, and his body trembled with cold. "Let's go back." Draco didn't protest as the portkey traveled through the air into the waiting outstretched hands of him and the others. When they returned to his office they brought with them sand that poured to his floor. Kingscross looked at the shivering bodies, two of which were on the floor, and at sour faces. He waved his hand, and the water dried from their clothes and disappeared from the floor. The smell of salt lingered. "Should we continue or end our session today?" Luna and Ginny looked at each other and down at the others. Harmony was struggling up.

"Continue," she said. Draco set aside his anger, and stood. He would show him the consequences of messing with a Malfoy.

"We better not be going anywhere wet!" Draco spat and wiped the remains of sand from his mouth.

"Our next destination will be completely dry," Kingscross assured him.

"Why was the seashell not the portkey for the ocean?" Ginny asked, thinking logically.

"Well, if I were to lose that portkey among a sea of shells, then that wouldn't have been pleasant." Kingcross then pointed to the portkey. "A one, a two, and a three!"

When Draco found out where they were, he wished that they were miles into the open sea, with sharks included. There was nothing below his feet supporting him. They had portkeyed alongside a cliff and had just missed the surface by five feet. Miles and miles of open air separated them from the ground. "Oh my God!" Draco yelled, and he had no time to curse out the Professor who deserved to drop dead. Because at that moment, that was precisely what was happening. Gravity was a cruel bitch sometimes.

And then the plunge began. This was not like flying on a broom, zooming with a portkey, or teleporting by flu powder. This was a lot like falling to death. And at that exact moment, Draco knew that wings would not sprout from his shoulder blades. A chorus of screams filled his ears and his own vocal cords uttered his own cries. Manly cries of distress. "We are going to die!" Someone screeched. Though they had been falling for only seconds, the surface already crouched to spring on them. "The ground is right there, it's going to kill us!"

"Nonsense," Kingscross called out, "The impact won't kill you, the pressure of falling will." They continued to scream. Draco had his eyes closed, but he opened them to see how far was left to his life. And Draco knew that Kingscross had somehow done the whole, missing the cliff by a few feet on purpose. But thankfully they weren't going any faster, and no they had not reached terminal velocity either. They were slowing down. Draco saw in front of him the portkey seashell, and it took all of his will power not to reach out and save himself. It went against all of his sense of reason, and he had to turn away from the temptation. After a few more miles, they came to a slow decent.

"My God!" Harmony nearly shouted, "Where's Ginny!" Harmony, Luna, and Draco looked between their feet to the ground below. There was no way that she could have survived. They then looked up, and Ginny was no where. Draco could picture the red head reaching out for the ledge of the cliff, and her arms snapping when she made contact. It wasn't a pleasant image. "Leighton!" she screamed, "Ginny's gone!" Draco was surprised to see the fear in Harmony's eyes. It didn't make sense to him.

"It's alright, Cub," Leighton shouted, "Hook's safe." They then saw a bird passing them. It swooped up and twisted into circles before spreading its wings and joining the stunned faces.

"That's Hook," Luna said, staring. Ginny was a hawk colored deep reddish brown with gold at the base of her neck. She hovered near them, with her one and a half meter wingspan, as an impressive sight. "I believe that she is a red-tailed hawk," Luna nodded, causing her blond hair to swirl about haphazardly. They were admiring Ginny's flight that when their feet touched solid ground, they looked around in surprise.

"Good job," Leighton said, "also the females of this species are about a quarter heavier than the males." The hawk preened in delight, displaying her feathers and puffing up her chest. She landed on a branch near enough to the surface. The seashell lay between all of them. Though Ginny blatantly wanted to fly more, she began to shift back to her human state. She had dismounted from the branch with a crack and before her feet touched the floor, she was human. Draco thought the transformation looked absolutely hideous. But he had to admit that she was an awesome animal. He imagined all of the amazing animals he could be as he grabbed the portkey along with the others. The cliff left him in a swirl of molten colors, and was replaced by a vortex of darks and lights before they were thrown to the floor of Kingscross's office.

"Before we go out again," Kingscross said to the students whose hands were mere inches away from the clay cup, "each of you will be given one of these." Kingscross held up raw meat. They frowned with distaste before reaching out for a slither and holding it with two fingers. "Alright! Now!" Five hands grabbed at edges of the clay cup, and Draco wondered if they were traveling to a pit vicious, ravenous crocodiles.

There was an absence of light. Maniacal laughing thudded against their ears. Hay like grass itched against his knee, and wind blew noiselessly across the long grass. There were other calls, like screeching. "Nobody move," Kingscross commanded in a low voice, "and do not use lumos yet." Draco had been wrong, large canine looking beasts prowled around them in tight circles. They were a cackle of hyenas. As if the meat he held was alight with fire, he dropped it, and kicked it away from him. He clenched his wand, and brought it close to his torso. Draco turned his head, unable to make out the others. The hot breath of panting animals itched at his neck, and suffocated his senses. He felt paralyzed. A hex left his wand, hitting nothing, but the light he made outlined bodies. They were eight feet away from him, and he took careful steps away from their way rotten breaths. A hyena growled to his right and Draco barely saw the creature preparing to snap at his foot. He could not think of a spell. Draco was unable to move his foot quicker than the jaws of a hyena. He could only yell in fear. His eyes closed, and he was falling backwards. He hadn't signed up for this madness. He had been a fool trying to prey on others. But he was caught now, with teeth ready to rip at his leg. The hyena tore at his robes, thick wads of cloth caught in its mouth. Draco held back a cry, as he felt skin tearing as the animal bit into his flesh. He held a shaky wand to the animal; his mind was filled with only unforgivable curses. The hyena cried out in pain, it arched its back, and veered away, spinning in circles. Draco squinted his eyes in surprise. He had not used his magic. There was a new animal, and it was hissing and spitting, claws sunk into the hyena.

"Are you alright Frisker?" Draco looked up at their professor, through eyes watering with pain. He could feel the blood pulsating from his wound, and he sat up extending his hands to cover the wound.

"Damn you," Draco said through clenched teeth. This was their professor's entire fault. The animals continued to cry out, and the low hissing hummed through the tall grass.

"Glad to see you alive," he retorted, "show me the bite." Draco cleared the remains of his robe and allowed the teacher to bring his wand close to the raw looking flesh. There were puncture wounds were teeth had broken skin and the putrid saliva dribbled from his ankle. The pain disappeared immediately and his foot appeared unscathed. Draco didn't thank him.

"What's making that hissing noise?" Draco asked. The hyenas were turning their tails, leaving as a pack for safety.

"_Lumos_!" Kingscross said with a clear voice. The light blinded Draco's eyes. "Cub, congratulations." Draco opened his eyes a smidgen, and he saw a cat with its ears back growling in the direction of the hyenas. "Cub," Kingscross snapped his finger, "Harmony." The cat's ears twitched in the professor's direction. "That's well enough." Draco examined the cat from where he sat. It was just about over 100 cm, but wasn't as big as Draco had thought it would be, based on the racket it had made. It was nowhere near the size of a lion or any big cat. It looked at him, and he could see Harmony. She had long black ears with tassels at the end of each ear tip. Across her forehead was a black marking of a thunderbolt. Her nose was a dark pink, and she had the same green colored eyes. Though she was medium sized, she had impressive muscles under sandy golden fur. Her under belly was white, and when she took a few steps, it was like she was taught with power and feline grace. Her tail tapered between her legs and she moved it with delight. Harmony was a beautiful creature. She sniffed some raw meat on the ground and a curious tongue darted on the surface. Ginny and Luna came closer as well to admire the cat.

"What is she?" Ginny asked.

"A caracal," Kingscross supplied. Draco got up to his feet, surprised that no lingering aftereffects were present. Harmony drifted away from the meat, and the sight of that red meat triggered annoyance through Draco.

"Exactly why were we holding meat in front of a bunch of hungry crazed hyenas?" Draco said in a voice of poorly concealed anger. "Were we to hold signs up as well, with the words 'eat me'?"

"I had not the slightest clue that the hyenas would be there," Kingscross smiled in an apologetic way that only taunted Draco. "The meat was meant to drive the animals _away_ from us, so that they wouldn't be hungry for human flesh." And Draco began to seethe in anger. Their professor was full of bullocks. The wand was still in his hand, and he gripped it tighter, ready for the spells that wouldn't come during the hyena attack to now rain down upon the man. For a moment he was going to do it. But he stopped. A small part of him knew that he had to bid his time, to calculate. Something rough touched the leg where the hyena had bitten him. At his feet was the caracal, licking him. He was surprised and stepped back. She looked up at him with round pupils. A warmth touched him as he crouched, and spread further as he brought a hand close to her. The contact of fur calmed him as he patted her, and he could see that there were no other markings printed on Harmony's fur. He smiled, and all of his anger was momentarily forgotten.

Ginny coughed into her wrist. Draco then caught himself as saw that the others were watching them awkwardly. "Alright," Ginny said, "...So now we should head back."

"About right," Kingscross agreed. Harmony shifted back, fur melted and her body grew. Draco was relieved to grab the clay cup along with the others. The African Savannah left them like a gust of wind, and they landed with steady feet in the office. Kingscross set aside the cup. What remained on his desk was a jar of honeydukes candies and an overused toothbrush. Anticipation overwhelmed Draco, and he brought his hand an inch from the jar of candies, ready to depart. "If you want one, Frisker," Kingscross said motioning to a candy, "help yourself." It took a lot of Draco's will power to not throw the jar to the ground. His hand adjusted to the handle of the toothbrush.

"Let's go," Draco said, getting impatient. Kingscross counted to three and the office dissolved into a ray of browns and silver, melting to what became their next destination. When Draco opened his eyes he was disappointed. They stood in a room, enclosed by metal bars. Little wood chips scattered under their feet, and pillows and soft blankets were draped carelessly around them. There was an unnatural light surrounding the enclosure. A hammock hung above them and a large ball of different colors spun from the top, crisscrossed by ladders. In the corner was a large hole, and next to him was a two foot pool. What was he supposed to do? The others looked about them, but Draco turned on their professor.

"What is the meaning of this!" Draco spat. He felt cheated. "Why the hell are we here, in some kind of warped playground?" There wasn't anything animal like or natural about the place. Kingscross breathed in heavily.

"Do you not feel anything?" their professor asked. Draco did feel comfortable here, but he was reluctant to go further. This wasn't where his animagus form lived.

"Nothing," Draco said.

"Then you aren't ready," Kingscross announced as if it was expected, "we will go back." Draco sneered at his surroundings. The professor must have brought him to the wrong place on purpose. He didn't live in a cage! He stomped to where the others were waiting, none of them said a word to him.

"It is quiet nice and extravagant here," Luna remarked before Kingscross counted to three, and they left. The familiar grounds of Hogwarts were not welcome to Draco's eyes. He didn't look at the others staring at him, and strode out the room, before he had to hear another word to grate against his brain. Tomorrow was the Halloween dance, and when his head hit his pillow, he fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Draco stood before his bathroom mirror, checking himself out. He wore slim fitting black pants and a chain mail shirt. His skin shown through like modest spots on an animal, and even though he wasn't built like a lumberjack, or a stupid bear, he still prized his physique. He had on a mask of silver that only covered the span around his eyes. The metal had tarnished with time, and appeared darker than it should. When he was sure that he looked absolutely desirable, he left for the Great Hall. He had grown accustomed traveling alone, so it was no surprise that Crabbe and Goyle were not present for his entrance. He was going without a date, and Draco wasn't expecting much from the Halloween masquerade party. It wasn't like he was going there to have a good time.

When he opened the doors he greeted the brightly dressed people and rock music with grim silences. The walls were adorned with colored paper streaming from end to end, and the enchanted overhead sky was dark with a full moon and shooting stars. Girls were awkwardly dancing in poofy dresses with their house mates, and at the table with snacks. Professors littered the dance floor, in neon attire. Dumbledore in neon purple, McGonagall in neon orange, Sprout in neon green, Hagrid in neon blue, and Snape in neon black. Students continued to stream in, and some wore the most flamboyant _things _Draco had ever seen. His disinterest turned to boredom, and he was contemplating ditching the school event. That was until he saw Harmony. And the dancing began.

Draco could only catch Harmony with his eyes from afar. The rock music turned to a soft waltz tune, and Draco involuntarily edged his way towards her. He admired the short lilac dress that hugged her body, and tugged at his senses. Her wondered how her hair danced in curls to her shoulders, and he wanted to pull off the mask she wore that had flowers concealing her scar. He couldn't look away. She was beautiful.

The moment he thought that, he stopped. It was easy to see her and forget who she was. All he had to do was repress the little fact that she was the Dark Lord's enemy, and that she would probably die by his wand. It was all effortless to forget, to forget what he was doing. But it wasn't that simple. Draco clenched his fists tight and forced his body to halt. He felt his mind divided and conflicted. It was impossible to forget.

Draco's focus was so engrossed, that he failed to notice the two girls who were with Harmony, even though Ginny wore a phoenix inspired dress, and Luna a cupcake costume. He didn't care to think that he looked like a fool, standing and staring while bodies moved like smoke around him. His world was gone, and she remained. The music changed to a quicker beat, becoming less formal. People were asking for dances, but Draco couldn't go to her. He wanted to get closer, to look into her eyes, and know that her gaze was only set on him as well. But if he were to catch her attention, then all of his insecurities would trouble him. She was perfect by her self, and did not need to be marred by the lies that he fed her, and that were destroying him.

"Draco," a girl said to him, who he cared less to realize that it was Pansy behind the cheetah print mask, "we must dance." Draco reluctantly turned his eyes to the girl, and looked down his nose at her. He wanted to tell her to bugger off.

"I'm not interested," Draco responded coolly. Pansy began to press against him, but Draco had already dismissed her from his thoughts. His face hardened as if the metal of his mask melted and contorted to his face. Boys were asking Harmony to dance. His body bristled. He got the urge to hex the eyes out of their sockets. He calmed a bit thought, when he saw that Harmony had declined their advances. But the Weasley twins were different, the tenacious wankers, they cornered her like they were hound dogs, and she a coon.

A small fear settled in him, that he would lose her. And the fact that he had that small fear was more frightening to him. What was happening to him? It was Bloody Potter. He couldn't just forget that. Why should he care to see her with other guys? It was idiotic. Incredulous. He was only annoyed because he had a mission and couldn't afford others to steal her away. But as he witnessed that someone had managed to sneak her to the dance floor, he was livid. It was a cold fury that made him step closer. No one had the right to touch her. He was nearly ready to pounce between the two, but stopped as he recognized the man. It was Professor Kingscross, masquerading as a student. And Draco backed off. He detested the other man's well built form, his height, his overwhelming power. And even Draco could admit that he was dishy. But what made him frustrated was that Harmony looked comfortable and delighted to be with him. They looked good together, like a couple.

Draco was surprised at his self-control. Perhaps all of the mind exercises controlled his emotions, but what ever it was, Draco decided that it was good that he hadn't acted rashly. He knew that she wouldn't have him if he were acting like a child. She would think poorly of him for interrupting her. Kingscross would probably laugh at him, and Draco knew that he wouldn't be able to best him yet. Draco had to wait, even if it tore him apart.

The song ended and Kingscross gave her a small bow, and grinned as he thanked her for the dance. It was then, that Draco made his move.

"May I have this next dance?" he asked her smoothly. Kingscross waved a bye to a surprised looking Harmony, and she looked at Draco's hand almost timidly. With a slight hesitation she placed her fingertips to his, and that was invitation enough. A warmth spread through him, as their right hands embraced, and his other hand rested at her back. For this dance he wasn't meant to look at his partner, but he couldn't help it, and joy began to bubble through him as she did the same. He couldn't help but give a small smile, and he dearly wished to take the mask off her, to see her face fully. They didn't say anything, as they traveled through the room, and the other students were only moving scenery to Draco. The hand on her back guided her closer to him, and when she didn't protest, he very much wanted the remaining space between them to disappear. Where her hands were touching his hand and arm, they were sweaty, and he wondered if it was a nervous habit, and if she had that before each Quidditch game. He began to notice the pink tinge to her checks, and it made his smile widen. He couldn't remember the last he was this happy, and he didn't care about anything but the girl in his arms. They moved in unison, and it felt right. The hand that held her let go and progressed to join his other hand around her back. She did the same, lightly touching his back, as if she was unsure where to put her hands. His eyes traveled to her slightly parted lips, and his own tingled for contact. His heart beat faster, pumping blood so fast that he was becoming light headed. He could smell the light fragrance of jasmine that left her, and it lured him in, enticingly. He looked into her eyes, and at the softness of her gaze. They danced slowly and as nimbly as water. It shocked him when the music ended, as if he had awakened from something impossible, but it was real, and her presence continued to thrill and tease.

Though all he wanted was to bring her close, he let her go. He couldn't do this anymore, to be with someone and having it feel so right, when it was all wrong. He took a step back to admire her once more. She looked at him curiously. "Thank you," he said simply and turned away. He didn't go that far before he felt something tug at his arm.

"What's the matter?" Harmony asked loudly from the start of a new song. Draco had been heading for the door. Her sweetness twisted something inside of him. She was too innocent, and though he had hated that about her before, now it made him want to protect her. And that was completely idiotic.

"I have to sort some things in my head," Draco said, still turned towards the door. She dropped his hand. "Take care of yourself," Draco said, and walked through the doors out of the Great Hall. There was an ache, filled deep in his abdomen. He didn't care where he was going, just so long as it was away. He found himself in a dead end, where the silence lingered. He sat to the floor, and didn't bother about how dark or dirty it was where he rested his bum. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. He knew painfully well that he had only two choices that he loathed. To forget all of his ambitions and be with Harmony, or to kill his emotions and stick with his plan. He knew the stakes, His family and glory over being a traitor and possibly getting killed. Draco wasn't good, he didn't know how to be a hero, or do what was right. The feelings he felt for Harmony was a stranger, but it was something that gave him a simple happiness. It lit inside of him, and deep down he knew that he couldn't stop himself from sticking with her, even if he forced himself to be rotten. It would destroy him, it would be worse than a _crucio_.

He didn't love Harmony. No, he didn't really know what love was. But he needed her. It was worse than terrible, but he cared for her, enough that it didn't bother him that she was Harry Potter. He laughed at himself. What was he becoming? He used to be so bad arse. She had changed him.

Because of her, he didn't terrorize the first years. Because of her he didn't pick fights. Because of her, he was becoming something close to good. He laughed aloud. No. It had been inconceivable that he would change for anyone. As impossible as it was, he would risk it all for her. She made him crazy, torn up and elated. He smiled at the hopeless lure he caught himself in. He had been such a petulant child.

He sat on that cold floor, and a cold understanding settled within him. It was his own trap he fell for. He opened his eyes, and directly across from him was a hole in the wall. Even though the castle was geriatric like a decrepit old dotard, it normally didn't have random holes. Any other time he would have missed it, but it wasn't so small, it was about the size of his head. He bent down getting closer. There was a strange light coming from inside. As he brought his body close to the floor, the hole began to get bigger till he could squeeze inside. Draco could see well enough and there was enough room for him to crawl as the path turned. It was strange though that he couldn't see so well beyond a few feet. But he was excited to find out where it ended. At last it came to an end. The room was red and grey, and too dark to really see. _Lumos_ Draco said, but it came out as a squeak. He began to get frantic. He couldn't find his wand, in fact, he couldn't find his fingers! He scampered in a small circle, and discovered with concern that he had grown a tail, and had gotten very very hairy. He squeaked again, trying to call for help. He recognized this feeling. It was like when that crazed professor, Mad Eye, had turned him into a ferret. Draco stopped his body. It couldn't be. He whimpered, and fumbled in the dark.

Of course he had to be a bloody ferret, and the awful part was that he knew that it felt right. His chuckles came out as dooks. Perfect.

* * *

End of chapter 15. Yes, this has got to be the longest chapter yet! And because I appreciate you all here is a little munchies more.

Dumbledore stood, monitoring the little children dancing. He had tried to move his own bones in a little waggle, but it only looked floppy. He sighed, his hip nearly dislocated. "Albus," someone called him. Snape stood by his side, watching Dumbledore watch children. Dumbledore nodded sagely.

"Yes?"

"Why exactly are we having this party?" Snape asked in a cold drawl. He hated school events which he was forced to participate in. He would rather chew his toenail than be subject to such torture. And his toenails were no joking mater. They were yellowing and smelled like cheese. Dumbledore allowed his eyes to momentarily meet Snape's before returning to the dance floor. They had both seen Harmony and Draco dance.

"Why have you partnered Harmony and Draco in your class?" Dumbledore asked. Snape opened his mouth to deny such implications, but then closed it.

"I see," Snape replied, and Dumbledore patted his back. Snape left in a hurry, not noticing that the headmaster had stuck something on his back. He wouldn't realize till later that the back of his robes were a neon pink.


	16. Chapter 16 the Progression

Harmony Lives

Chapter 16- the Progression

**Disclaimio- **

They see me rolling, they hating, I'm not Rowlings so they just try to catch me writing dirty…

I know that's been a while, but I was out of the country, so now I can write more.

* * *

There was something amiss about the place Harmony had drifted to. The air smelled of smoke, and a heavy fog masked the long twisting trees, and blotted out the rising sun. Gusts of oncoming winter caused the trees to groan, and branches whacked against branches. There were no animals, not so much as a bug or a bird in the sky. She followed a cobbled road with an iron fence. Peering through was a stone manor. It was beautifully designed, and had pillars that curved like snakes, ready to engulf the roof. Her feet crunched over brown leaves, over stone steps. She watched the manor as she headed towards the entrance. Everything was too white about it, that the unlit interior made it look hollow. When Harmony stepped through the door, she half expected alarms to go off announcing her. She trespassed unnoticed.

She didn't dare call out to see if anyone was there. She timidly stepped into the wide hall where along the walls were statues of life sized men, with sour looks on the lot of them, staring down at her. There were empty portraits with silver frames that hung askew, vases with dead flowers, and a thin layer of dust that veiled the Victorian cabinets. The floor was a spotted marble, and light passed through the windows like ink splotches. Her wand was held out, and she took slow steps so that she could hear inside the rooms as she passed. Harmony looked back before stepping on a stairway, and tracing the rail that curved in a tight spiral. The tip of her wand let off a light glow as she descended into the dark. The temperature dropped, and the coolness chilled her heated face.

The bottom level was a maze. All along the walls were doors evenly spaced apart by two feet. Some of them had little engraving that were far too cracked to read. The hall divided and when she took her wand to point her the right way, it took her further down the sloping hall. Torches with blue light lined the floor. She took another turn, and knew that if she had to run back, she would instantly be lost. The doorknobs that she tried were mostly fastened, and the ones that opened were empty save for straw on the floor and chains hung from the ceilings. A faint gray light came from the space where a door and the floor not quite touched. The air swelled with a mist that had nowhere to escape.

She trailed her wand against the wood of the door, sending her magic inside. She knew that there were four people in the room. As she took another step, she felt something down at her feet and lifted her foot. There was an index finger. Harmony leaned against a wall, sick. Something thudded against the door. "Why do you give me useless books! This does not explain ANYTHING! That Rat didn't know what he had to me, and I cut off all of his fingers till he cried like the filth he is!" The marble floors cracked inside and Harmony put her eye to the small key hole. Her eyes swiveled, not getting a clear view. As she focused on a bald white skull her scar seared. The top of Voldemort's robes were exposed, and she could see raw cracks in his skin, and black veins that spider webbed up his neck. Voldemort gestured at his chest. "And still he could not explain why this is happening to me! Why have I been given my body back, only for it to be falling apart! Must I go out to find the answer myself, do any of you care?" They didn't respond, "Useless!" Voldemort spat. "Where is Snape?"

"Hogwarts, master," said Lucious Malfoy's voice.

"Good, still following my orders. Has he said anything about Potter?" Harmony took in a breath, and widened her eyes. Snape knew her mind, knew almost all of her secrets.

"Nothing, master," came Lucious's response.

"I will see about that." Voldemort began to pace the room in long deliberate steps. "And the Ministry?"

"Ready to be-"

Skin peeled off Voldemort, and his body thudded against the floor. Bones visibly contorted and moved under his skin as he began to convulse violently. His red eyes rolled back and bloody saliva fell from his clenched teeth, and yet still he did not scream in pain. Magic seeped from him, crackling and scorching the walls. His three followers did nothing to help him. His head snapped up, facing Harmony. "It is Potter!" Red slitted eyes were on her. "He did this to me! I must know the prophesy." Magic seared against the door, bursting it open. She toppled over, thrown into the door behind her, which gave way. She fell on her back, feeling the straw prickling at her neck and arms. Without thinking, she sent magic to slam the door. Panic twisted her stomach, and she scrambled blindly, for any way out. A groan came from her left, and she shout out for light. On the floor lay the crippled figure of a man, whose fingerless palm and metal were covering his eyes.

"Agh," he cried, "don't. Please, Master. I don't know. I followed everything that I was supposed to." He whimpered in freight. "It must have been Potter, not me. Please. No more." Harmony was stuck. Where could she go? "Master? What- Who is there?" Harmony turned away from Peter, unable to face him.

Her body began to shake violently. The magic holding the door broke free, but she had lost sight of her surroundings. "you are mine, _Harry Potter_!"

"Harry! Harry! wake up!"

Harmony's eyes opened and she jolted from her bed. The darkness contorted around her and she flinched from the hand holding her. Where was she? She looked into Ron's eyes. Cold sweat trickled down her scalp, and her heart raced. She brought her hands to her head, and cradled her body. "Harry!" Her scar burned and she thought that she could smell smoke. She let out a shallow breath as she repeated to herself that she was in the dormitory. Ron wasn't a figment of her imagination.

"Thanks Ron," she whispered, "I'm OK." Ron looked stricken.

"You were twitching, and cried out."

She tried to remember why she woke up like this. But couldn't. "It was a nightmare. Thanks for waking me up."

"Was it about Cedric?" Ron asked.

"I can't remember," Harmony said softly.

"Alright, mate," Ron yawned, "if you act up again, I'll be right next you." She smiled back at him, but was unsure whether he saw it, or if he was already asleep. Harmony went under the covers, not wanting to go back to sleep. She grabbed her pillow and stuck her face into it, feeling the sticky heat.

* * *

"Watch it, freak," a seventh year pushed her aside, sneering down at her as she apologized. She continued on, through the doors of the Great Hall. Harmony had gotten used to people ignoring and insulting her. She couldn't blame them if the press slandered her. She knew it was fear of Voldemort and not hate for her, which caused students to act the way they did. A yawn escaped her mouth as she joined Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. They were whispering to themselves. Harmony looked down at her plate of scrambled eggs shaped like a snitch. The two had become closer now that Harmony had been busy late at night, and she felt the gap between them. It seemed like Ron and Hermione had done fine without her. She couldn't help but envy them, because they could be happy together.

"Are you two going out?" Harmony took a knife and nosily scraped her plate, no longer able to listen to their giggling and whispering. Their Ruddy cheeks and sidelong glances told her everything. "That's so lush," Harmony said.

"I was going to tell you mate," Ron stumbled through, "but Hermione said that it would be best to keep it on the down low. That you would feel bad or something," he began to laugh nervously.

looking at them so happy made her smile. "Congrats," Harmony said.

"That makes me feel so good that you know," Ron smiled, "it was driving me mental."

"Ron, we've been together for only one night," Hermione shook her head.

"Yeah, last night was amazing," Ron held Hermione's hand and brought it to his lips.

"Well tell me," Harmony laughed. Last night was the Masquerade party. No wonder she had barely seen them.

"She looked so beautiful-" Ron got smacked by a blushing Hermione. "And I went right up to her," he continued, still holding her hand, "And asked for a dance. I tore apart each of her suitors too. Hermione was so impressed by me, that she could not get enough of the handsome Ro-" she smacked him once more. "And then I took her to the balcony, and we were all over ea-"

"Ron!" Hermione blushed, "I think that Harry gets the point."

"Ah, Hermione," Ron said, "but I was getting to the good part."

"Yeah Hermione," Harmony laughed, "what happened next, Ron?" Harmony got a good playful smack from the red faced girl. They all laughed, and she remembered what it was like to be with them. "I am happy for you two," Harmony said sincerely.

They thanked her. "Where were you, Harry? I didn't see you all night," Hermione wondered.

"I was doing detentions with Snape before the party, and then I just got too tired to go," Harmony said.

"Oh man Harry," Ron shuddered, "that man is pure evil. Remember that detention he gave us. That was bloody awful. He made me clean each cauldron inside out, with my hands! I don't want to know what he makes you do, I feel so terrible."

"Really Ron, it's not so bad," Harmony assured them, "I'm used to cleaning." She realized her mistake as they looked awkwardly at her. _Shite._ She could tell that they were thinking about the Dursley's. "I can handle it guys."

"It's wrong of him," Hermione said, "we barley see you anymore. Has something happened?"

Harmony forced a smile, reminding herself that it was better if they didn't know the truth. "Don't worry about me, I have everything under control." They still looked at her funny.

"If you say so, but you missed a great night," Ron muttered. And he began to fill her in what she missed, about what she already knew. She had been there. Seen the costumes, heard the music, tasted the punch that Fred and George had tampered with, witnessed the neon pink of half a certain professor's robes. She had seen that all, and tried to look interested.

But her mind drifted to the Slytherin table, to where Draco Malfoy sat. He had been acting so strange last night. She too as well. Who knew that she would have danced with him, and like it. That she played it over and over in her mind. She could almost feel the warm chain mail of his shirt, the hands that had brought her closer to him. She could see the gray of his eyes behind the metallic of his mask, the shape of his lips, his small smile. Draco was on the tip of her tongue, and it took all of her effort to not turn around and watch him. She wanted to know how he was, what made him leave so abruptly.

"And there was this beautiful flower chick." She carefully did not react as Fred and George interrupted Ron. They signed in unison as they described her. "She danced like a tulip in the wind, but only twice did she grace the dance floor. And not with either of us dishy men."

"And then she left us, all heart broken." They themselves left in a play of acted woe.

"Really who was she?" Harmony asked, confirming that they did not realize that it had been her.

"I don't know," Ron shrugged his shoulders, "but she danced with Malfoy. She has horrid taste."

"But the other man she was with," Hermione included, "now, he was something." Ron looked offended. "You on the other hand," Hermione assuaged, facing Ron "are so adorable and delectable and..."

Harmony's mind wandered, not caring to hear all of Ron's amazing qualities. Something was bothering her, like an itch to the back of her mind. There was something up or something that she was missing out on. Harmony ignored the owl post as it dropped newspapers and mail. But there was something disturbing with the owls. There were too many of them, and they were all frantic. Packages dropped into food and owls screeched in fear. And then they were all gone. The students anxiously looked around the room before unraveling their papers. The absence of chatter was replaced with gasps. Harmony did not have a paper, but Hermione did.

"Oh Merlin," Hermione chocked out. Harmony looked at Hermione's troubled face before the _Daily Prophet_ was passed before her. It read, _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has Returned_, and in smaller print, _seen breaking into the Ministry of Magic. _The news spread and fear along with it. Harmony gave back the paper for Hermione to read, and she realized that students were looking to her. Harmony's eyes searched for Dumbledore, but many of the staff including said Headmaster were absent. She had no idea what Voldemort had been planing, what he could want at the Ministry of Magic. She looked to the Slytherin table and saw that many of the Slytherins had mixed reactions. A good majority were in fear, some had tiny little smirks, and only one looked troubled. Draco Malfoy sat separated from his usual friends, whether from choice or from them ostracizing him, she did not know. He was reading his paper, but his brow was nit, and he was biting his bottom lip. "Harry."

Harmony turned around to face Hermione. "What has happened?"

"I don't know, all it says is that the Dark Lord was seen by aurors and early morning Ministry staff to have broken into a restricted section of the Ministry of Magic. It doesn't say if anything was taken, but the Dark Lord wouldn't just make an appearance like that for no reason. Something doesn't add up!" Hermione shot her hand up for emphasis, but Harmony was more concentrated on the students who were beginning to get anxious.

"Where the hell is Professor Dumbledore?" Ron asked, whipping his head to the staff table. Doors from the back of the hall burst open, and some students screamed in fear. Dumbledore stepped out along with other staff members. He walked to his usual seat at the Dining Hall, and each student had his full attention. He sat down, and necks craned to maintain eye contact. Dumbledore began to eat. Students began to whisper amongst themselves, wondering if they were doomed. One of the Professors coughed into their hand intentionally, and Dumbledore, remembering himself, got up once more to address the students.

"I am afraid that there is bad news," Dumbledore stated, "Voldemort has returned." Students gasped at his name, and they reacted in a similar manner as they had when she was a first year and Professor Quirrell had come in with the knowledge that a troll had been let loose in the school. "Hogwarts will continue through this year, and will remain safe for students. Classes will be canceled for the day, in order for students to contact family, and make appropriate arrangements. That is all." Dumbledore then sat down to eat, and students began to leave in packs.

"That can't be all," Harmony mumbled. She had to find out what was up, but she didn't want to go to Dumbledore. She could talk with one of the Order of the Phoenix members. She got up, and excused herself. She would reach Sirius. "Should I send him a letter?" she mumbled. No, Post was unsafe. But how? She went up the moving staircase, heading towards the Gryffindor common room. The people in the paintings were talking amongst themselves, and pointing her way as she went passed. The students who she walked by also acknowledged her, without so much as a snide comment. Some even apologized, and Harmony nodded her head. There was a first year coming down the hall dragging a suite case. Though he was going home, he was crying. Their world was changing. And they were all soon to experience an upcoming war. The wind knocked against the windows, and a cold draft caused the torches along the wall to flicker.

She continued on to the Gryffindor fifth year bedroom. There was a brown paper bag that had her answer. She recalled the little mirror that Sirius had given her if she needed him, that he would be there. She went through her suitcase, not caring about the mess she was making as she uprooted her clothes and keepsakes. Her search was like digging for treasure, and soon her hands crinkled against the brown paper bag. She pulled it out and examined it. She could see the ceiling of a dark room. She tapped the mirror, trying to activate it.

"Sirius!" she called, "Sirius!" Though she was alone in the bedroom, this was not the best place for her to freely converse with her very much still wanted God Father. So she draped the curtains that hung on her four poster bed and cast a silencing charm so that she could hear very little from outside her bed, and no one could hear anything that she would say. "Sirius!" she yelled out, with the mirror an inch from her face much like that of a telephone. She could hear the creak of a door, and the ceiling moved to a face whom she missed.

"Harmony," Sirius said, and smiled. She looked at his taught face, at lines that she had not remembered. He did not look so well, and his long black hair appeared wire like. "It's good to see you."

"Sirius," Harmony smiled back, "Have you been taking care of yourself?" Sirius chuckled at her and nodded his head.

"How is school? Are you getting into trouble?"

"Yeah, I have detention almost every night," Harmony laughed.

"What have I told you about not getting caught?" Sirius put on his 'responsible tone'.

"Oh right, half the fun is watching the Professors rip out their hair or beards, as they look for the evidence to incriminate me, while only having leads to the other houses. I know. But my detentions are lessons for me."

Sirius nodded his head, "I suppose you have heard the news."

"Yeah, the Daily Prophet's abridged version. I was hoping that you could tell me more." Harmony searched his tired face.

"I missed you," Sirius muttered, and his loneliness was almost tangible. Sirius cleared his voice, and brought a hand to his brow. "I'm not really supposed to tell you..." Harmony rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, Dumbledore, and his secrets," she didn't know who else to go to.

"The Headmaster has been here, this morning," Sirius began, careful of his words or of exposing too much. "He and a couple of us were just in time to witness the Dark Lord exiting the Ministry of Magic...specifically from the Department of Mysteries. He was looking for something, and we weren't in time to stop him. He was in a rush as well, didn't even try to conceal himself. And now the Wizardling World knows that the Dark Lord is back. Maybe he just wanted the world to be in fear. Sure as hell twisted enough of him. Fudge is going to have a field day, though."

Harmony contemplated what he said. "But what was stolen?" Sirius shook his head.

"Whatever it was, Professor Dumbledore doesn't seem to be too worried about it. I guess that he was suspecting a whole fight to break loose. No one died, and it looked like The Dark Lord was running away. Of course the Headmaster had to get back to Hogwarts." Harmony wished that she could brainstorm with Hermione, but she doubted that Hermione would be able to figure something out.

"Thanks Sirius," Harmony said. Sirius smiled at her, and winked.

"I'm glad that I got to go and get out of this blasted house. But I would be careful if I were you. Be wary of who you talk to, you may trust somebody with your life, but who really knows the person within?"

"I'll be careful," Harmony said, meeting Sirius's unwavering gaze.

"And keep the late night festivities to only three times a week!" Harmony nodded once more. "And I don't want to hear any stories about boys." Harmony gasped, and Sirius winked back. "I'm serious."

"Er, and I'm Harmony," she joked, "Thanks Sirius, I will keep in touch."

"What? Done so soon?" Sirius pouted, but waved back, "Alright, but remember what I said."

"Yep. Bye."

"Take care." Harmony gazed at her God Father once more, before putting the mirror away. At least now she had a lead. What could be in the Department of Ministries that Voldemort could want? Voldemort was seeking something. Her head began to ache. Like she was trying to remember something she had forgotten. She tried to calm her mind and meditate. To turn her mind into a blank canvas, an unwritten book.

Her eyes opened. Book, she thought. She got up from her bed and cast down the silencing charms. Maybe Voldemort was in the Department of Mysteries for a book. She wasn't so sure about that, but Harmony needed to go to someone who knew the Department of Mysteries, or find a way to get into the Dark Lord's mind. She shuddered at that thought, and wondered why she had thought that in the first place. She could recall what Snape had told her that Voldemort could go into her mind through the connection they shared. But couldn't she go into his mind then? She had made progress with Occlumency, she could divert Snape from her mind when he was invading her most personal memories. She had to find out if she could enter Voldemort's mind, without him knowing. But would Snape even help her with that.

* * *

Snape was glowering at some first year potion essays when Harmony came to his door. He frowned at the girl, and not from his usual pretense. She stood at his office awkwardly. "What is it?" he asked her in a drawn out voice, as if it took his whole breath to say those three short words.

"May I ask a question?" Harmony asked, still at the door.

"I do not believe that we have a detention scheduled for you," Snape muttered, refusing to call her either Mr. or Mrs. Potter, because that would remind him of two other people from a different world.

"It's important, though." Harmony said, not willing to back away. Snape's forearm burned, and he strained from grasping it.

"I am busy," Snape said through clenched teeth. He saw her disappointment, and he nearly bit his tongue as he shouted, "detention!" at her. "Be here in my office at 9 o'clock sharp." Harmony hid her bright smile as she took a step away and the door slammed behind her. She failed to notice the ferret by her feet and nearly stepped on its tail, and only realized its presence when she heard an angry hiss.

She gasped as she laid eyes on the ferret, it reminded her of a small polar bear. "wow," she said in a low voice and squatted down to see it better. "You're lost, huh, who's your owner?" the ferret made a ki noise before taking timid steps towards the girl.

Harmony had never seen a ferret so close before and was compelled to scoop it up. When it was close enough to sniff her, she grabbed it by the middle and whisked the animal to her chest. The ferret squeaked in fear, and nipped angrily at her fingers. She held it in a more comfortable position and the ferret stopped squirming. It was completely rigid as she held it, and Harmony thought that maybe something was wrong. It looked rather sneakily up at her, before poking into the arms of her robe and disappearing completely from view. Harmony laughed as it tickled her arms. It poked its head from the collar of her shirt before resting atop her shoulders. Good thing that she wore multiple layers to increase her mass, or else it would have been weird to feel the animal against her skin. "Well aren't you a strange ferret," she mumbled to herself. "You are quiet frisky." The ferret bristled at the word, and pawed at her neck. She brought her arms to hold it close to her face. "You also smell nice, I thought ferrets were stinky." The ferret 'ki'ed in response, and waved its paws around. She stared into its grey eyes, and it stared back at her. _cute_, she thought.

"Strange, its almost as if-"

"Potter!" came a voice from Snape's office, "Remove your presence from my door this instant, I do not want to hear another thing from you!" The ferret squeaked and Harmony shot up and began to run, just in time before the door burst open and an angry Snape stepped out into the hall. "No running in the halls! 25 Points from GRYFFINDOR!"

"Sorry, Sir!" Harmony shouted back, before realizing her mistake. There was a muffled yelling, and the ferret bounced in her arms. When she ran far enough, she leaned against the wall, huffing, and slowly brought her bum down.

"What am I going to do?" The ferret stuck his head out, facing her, "Voldemort is-" the ferret squeaked at the name, but covered it with a half convincing sneeze, "out there." It brushed its head against her hand, wanting to play. "Aren't you scared, whom do you belong to?" The ferret ignored her, as it tumbled around. "It must be nice being a ferret, and not having a care in the world." The ferret huffed in response before running off.

"Wait!" she called, and began to chase after it. The ferret wasn't as fast as her, so she caught up fast, and scoped it up once more. "You can't go off like that, Mrs. Noris could find you, or any other careless foot." The ferret shook its head, and wiggled until she was forced to let the ferret down, or else drop it. It crawled along the wall, and Harmony followed it. It looked cute, and determined as it sometimes looked back to see where she was. The students they passed were too busy to see the ferret, but some nodded at her. "Where are you going?" she asked it.

The ferret lifted a paw, and continued on, scampering faster now. They were heading up a few flights, and she had to carry it, when it nearly fell through the faulty step. "You better be leading me someplace, and not just getting us lost." The ferret stopped suddenly, and brought its nose along the wall. Harmony doubted that many students traveled this hall, if any. There was not much, but Harmony did amuse herself by watching a portrait of trolls receiving ballet lessons. The ferret was going back and forth along the walls three times now. Harmony was surprised to see a little door that she had overlooked, and the ferret pushed against it, and disappeared from sight. It was much too small for her, and as she crouched to fit into the tunnel like space, her shoulders hit the walls. She could see light from the other end, and the smell of flowers. "What the?"

"Change into your animagus form," said a cool voice from beyond the little door. Harmony banged her head in surprise, getting dust into her hair.

"Draco!" she groaned, "how did you get in there? And what the hell is this?"

"Hurry it up Harmony, if anyone where to see you, they would laugh. Just trust me." Harmony removed her head from the wall, and realized that if any student had come by, they would have seen her bum in the air, and her head plastered into the floor. Harmony checked for students before her caracal form squeezed into the dirt tunnel, scraping her underbelly into plant roots and pebbles. When she made it through, she was amazed at how big the floor was spaced. And there was Draco, siting casually on a Victorian love seat.

"_Draco_!" Harmony growled. She transformed back into a girl. "So that ferret is yours," she said looking around for it. Draco looked awkwardly back at her.

"Not exactly," he mumbled. He did not quite meet her eyes as he said that, and Harmony knew that he was holding something back.

"Well, did you see where it went?" she asked and looked around her. "And how did you fit in here, anyway?" And yet he still did not answer. "Draco, are you listening?"

One of the corners of Draco's lips came up, and it reminded her of the previous night. And she was caught off guard. She was alone with Draco in a place where no one knew about, and there was something mischievous about Draco. She watched him as he got up, and he stood in front of her, close enough that if he wanted, he could easily wrap a hand behind her back. "Sorry, I was too focused on you to concentrate on anything you were talking about."

"Er," Harmony wasn't to sure where this came from, "what?" It was like the storm had passed from his eyes, and now he looked at her through clear eyes. "Anyway, what is this place?" she looked away from him, but was aware that his focus was still on her. Around the room were dark red curtains draped from the walls to the floor, and torches gave off a light smell of pine needles. And if she listened close enough, she could hear a very low violin and other music.

"I don't know, it just popped up as I was going around the halls back and forth, wondering what I wanted."

"So that's why you left the dance floor," Harmony interjected, "and did you figure anything out?"

"Yeah," Draco muttered. Harmony stared at him, knowing that there was still something more that he was hiding.

"And?" Harmony leaned in towards him. His hair was a bit unkempt, and his bangs were swept to the side. She wondered if his hair was as silky as it looked, but she stopped the hand that had twitched.

"I found out what I wanted, and I was also able to accept me." Draco took a breath, "As well as the parts that I couldn't allow myself to acknowledge." There was unmistakable sincerity in his voice. And it was like Harmony could see Draco's thoughts through their eye contact, his fears and his adventure from last night. And there was an outline of a small animal.

She broke away from the connection she had unknowingly initiated. He blinked at her, before putting a hand to his head. "You're the ferret," she said quietly.

"Did you just...read my thoughts?" He looked at her in disbelief. "So Legilimency is what you do with Professor Snape." Draco began to laugh, "and yet, Professor Snape hasn't killed himself or you yet. Impressive." Harmony didn't even try to hide what she was doing with Snape.

"I don't know if I even used Legimency," Harmony mumbled, "I need to work on my control."

"You can practice on me," Draco grinned, "I have nothing to hide."

"Oh really?" Harmony said, doubtful.

Draco shook his head, "I'm serious." He leaned closer to her, "try me." This was the chance that she was waiting for, to develop her skills in order to get into Voldemort's mind, discreetly. "I'm sure that my mind is much more pleasant than Professor Snape's."

His hand lightly brushed her hair. And Harmony looked into his eyes, eyes that could hold so much emotion. It was like gray turned to steel, with so much conviction and refined purity. But even if he wanted to help her, she knew that it would be wrong to make him suffer. It would hurt the both of them.

"I only do Occlomency, not Legilimency." She explained further, "So that Voldemort won't be able to get into my head." That piece of information seemed to bother Draco.

"What do you mean?" Harmony pointed to her scar.

"This scar somehow connects me to Voldemort," she shrugged her shoulders. Draco looked deep in thought.

"The Dar-," he stopped, "Vold-dem-mort is a creepy wanker. But I still want to help you. I can't have you prancing about to er- you know who, and be naive enough to think that a simple spell like _Expelliarmus_ will work." Draco put his hands to Harmony's shoulders, shaking her a little. "Do you even know what you are doing?"

Harmony looked up at him in mild surprise, "trying to find out what Voldemort is up to." Draco's hands dropped to her forearms.

"Alright, that's what I wanted to know. So far what do you got?"

"Nothing," Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"That's right, you don't have Granger or Weasley behind you." Which was true, Ron and Hermionone would much rather busy themselves by seeing how long they could humanly snog for, than have conversations which tended to turn awkward with her. "Which is a good thing that you have me." Draco's hands slipped to hers, "I'll come with you to Professor Snape, and I will figure out anything that I can from my father." Harmony lightly held on to Draco by his finger tips. That simple contact made her arms tingle. "But on one condition, Harmony."

Harmony looked hesitantly up at him. "What's that?"

"Dance with me." He held her hands firmer. Harmony then realized that the room looked very much like a dance floor, and she briefly wondered if this was Draco's intention from the beginning. She laughed at how strange and mental he could be, before nodding her head, and bringing a hand to his shoulder.

* * *

End of Chapter 16.

NaNoWriMo is on!

And bonus clip:

"Who taught you to dance?" Draco asked, as he spun her once more. The music flowed with them, lightly. The one thing that Harmony could not say, even to someone like Draco whom she trusted, was about Sirius. Sirius was too important to her, and she was not going to say that Sirius, the very much wanted man, taught her to dance. Harmony smiled lightly.

"Snape did," she said as pleasantly as she could. Draco missed a step, nearly tripping and bringing the both of them down. Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"That's impossible," Draco missed another step as he tried to imagine it. "No." In his mind all he could picture was Snape dressed like a swan, twirling around, barking out instructions. It was quite a horrifying thought. And he chose not to dig further in that, or else have the chance of it confirmed to him.

Harmony continued to smile up at him. He concentrated on that.


	17. Chapter 17 the Persuasion

Harmony Lives

Disclaimerus: Just gonna stand there and watch me burn, that's alright because I like the way it hurts, just gonna stand there, read my story for free, that's alright because its not my property.

Chapter 17**: the Persuasion **

* * *

A white bumble bee crawled against the wooden panels of a low ceiling. It crept like an old man, slow and twitching. It could have been mistaken for a speck of dust, or a star against the vastness of the blackened room. The door croaked open and the bee made one last step before dropping to the floor.

Pain seared his arm, and Severus leaned against his office door, before slamming it shut. He grit his teeth, mumbling rotten words that soured the air. Harmony had caught him off guard, and he did not want her to see him clutching his forearm. He wiped his brow, unaware of the sweat that gave his pain away. He made it to his desk and opened one of his drawers with his wand which only responded to his wand tip. His hand swept over brewed bottles, selecting one shaped like a spinning top. He flicked it open, before downing it. Severus closed his eyes, trying to escape in his mind.

There was a muttering outside of his door that made his eyes narrow. Harmony had not left. He drummed the fingers of his good hand, containing his growing annoyance. He heard giggling, and a sweet voice. "You are quite frisky," he heard from beyond the door, "you also smell nice." That was quite enough for him. He stood from his seat ready to throw the closest thing he could find at the door. His hands went for the paper weight that he used for grading Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors papers, all of which but four were marked with fails. But he stopped, and the weight fell back on his desk.

"Potter," he shouted, "Remove your presence from my door this instant, I do not want to hear another thing from you!" He heard a squeak much like that of an animal and strode for the door. He was beyond being nice. Severus was livid with pain. The door burst open and he could see the small figure of Harmony running away, and he gave a small pained smirk before shouting, "no running in the halls! 25 Points from GRYFFINDOR!" There was laughter in the air, behind him, like a tinkle of a bell.

"Still pretending to dislike her," Dumbledore said.

Severus hated it when the headmaster popped out of no where. "There is no apparating on Hogwarts grounds," he said, "why can't you be a normal wizard and knock!"

"I have my ways," Dubledore said and took a seat at the desk, he gestured to the seat where the students sat. "Severus, please do sit, it will make the pain lessen."

Severus's eyelid twitched. He was still angry with the little stunt Dumbledore had pulled at the party. He wanted to blast the headmaster in neon pink, every inch and strand of him. He took a seat, uncomfortable in the smaller chair. "Now is not a good time."

"Voldemort is calling you," Dumbledore nodded his head, as if he had expected it. "He is desperate. Going so far as to break into the Ministry of Magic."

"A declaration of war," Severus muttered, "or a scheme for immortality."

"Not so," Dumbleodre said, looking at the papers on Severus's desk, and frowning at all of the fails he saw. "I fear that he has lost it," he paused for a moment, "or should I say she." Severus looked at him sharply. A glare like a double edged sword, meeting the headmaster squarely in his right eye.

"What nonsense is this?" But he was beginning to put it together, and he swore under his breath. His dark mark twisted at the skin, burning and commanding him to obey.

"Voldemort is trying to figure out why he is turning into a woman, or into something like a woman." Dumbledore twirled the end of his beard between his fingers.

"The potion and blood magic," Severus muttered, realizing the extent of the damage.

"Exactly," the headmaster replied, "when the blood drawn from Harmony was used to resurrect Voldemort, he drew too the magic that was infused in her blood. The magic that I cast onto her, so strong that it changed her gender completely. But it is different for Voldemort, instead of masking his gender, it is reacting in a most surprising manner. Making Voldemort into a woman. But it is a dangerous and painful process for him."

"So that is why he is acting so rashly," Severus said, trying not imagine Voldemort as a woman. "But why did he break into the Ministry of Magic?"

"For the prophecy," Dumbledore sighed, "or more correct for the answer to his ailment. But the prophecy wont tell him anything." At the mention of the prophecy, Severus clammed up, his face becoming blank. Dumbledore noticed that as well. "The prophecy still stands, but there is also a new one that I was lucky to witness." There was much pain behind Severus's eyes that he could not conceal, no matter how many years of masking his emotions.

"Do not tell me, I cannot bare to listen and possibly have it forced out of me," Severus looked away from the headmaster, his eyes downcast and near loathing.

"Even if I did tell you Severus," Dumbledore said gently, "it is like an unsolved riddle, and will unfold in time." A frown still lowered Severus's lips, and the news troubled him.

"He will ask me what is happening to him," Severus shook his head.

"And you will tell him," Severu's head shot up, meeting the headmaster's eyes. "But there is something else you must plant in him." Dumbledore pulled out a ring atop a hand that looked like it had been scorched and blackened beyond recognition. "Do you remember this?"

Severus looked at Dumbledore in confusion, remembering the night he had come with the poisoned hand and cursed ring. Marvolo Grant's ring, and the stone centered on the ring was cracked. "Of course," Severus muttered, how could he forget.

"There is a way to complete Voldemort," Dumbledore slipped the ring on his finger, on the charred hand which poison was slowly killing him, "and maybe even a way to regain his humanity." Severus looked at the headmaster, wondering if with greatness came madness. Not like there was a difference anymore. He felt the throbbing at his own hand, like that too was a poison slowly taking away his life.

* * *

Things had changed greatly in the Malfoy Manner. Severus looked around the once glamorous mansion. The place was in disarray, but with good reason. The Dark Lord glared at Severus, his red eyes like a rat's. "What took you so long?" Voldemort asked, his voice cracking.

Severus looked at the man unmoved, he could not show fear. "I had to wait for an opportunity, my Lord. When I had no class, and a time when Dumbledore would not suspect where I was leaving to. It is nearly impossible to lie to the man." Voldemort was not completely rid of his rage. He licked his chapped mouth, over taught white skin.

"Severus, you aren't like the other inept fools, you haven't yet failed me." Voldemort stopped to caress his snake Nagini, and the snake looked at Severus, flicking her tongue. "Take off your mask." Voldemort struck the Death Eater mask, leaving Severus's face bare. "What is Potter up to?" Voldemort asked close enough for Severus to smell the rot of unkempt teeth, and Severus's expression remained impassive.

He could remember the plan that Dumbledore had outlined for him. _And you will tell him_. Dumbledore's words repeated through his head. But when Severus opened his mouth, nothing came out. Something was stopping him, a whisper in his ear, so faint, but it wrenched his heart from saying what he had been instructed to. _Severus_. It was a voice which haunted him, so small and soft. And he knew that he could not tell the Dark Lord that Harmony had turned into a girl. "Severus?" screeched in his ear, draining him.

"Nothing," he said, "there is nothing new to say about the boy." Voldemort screamed in frustration. He stood over Severus, like a hungry vulture ready to pick out the eyes of its prey.

"There is something plaguing me," Voldemort hissed, "my body!" Voldemort clutched at the front of his robes, balling his fists and he stared with madness, "it betrays me."

"What do you mean, my lord?" Severus asked coolly. The room seemed too small to contain a wild beast. The curtains were drawn, books spilled over the floor, and there were cracks and holes in the walls. Voldemort looked at Severus as if he wanted to strike the man.

"The resurrection of my body has gone astray." His words hung in the air.

"Perhaps you should have gotten a more skilled wizard to resurrect you." Voldeomrt looked at Severus with loathing. "Or maybe it is something more." Severus was mindful of the books as he moved across the room, in thought. "Something that cannot be foreseen."

"What do you mean?" Voldemort asked, following him with his eyes.

"Dumbledore is planing a way to destroy you completely." Voldemort cursed under his breath, the little light around him darkened.

"Tell me!" Voldemort nearly shrieked.

"In Dumbledore's possession is a ring that he has destroyed. He told me only that it was yours, but I could tell that he was hiding more." Severus was treading in dangerous water.

"A ring?" Voldemort asked, as if petrified. "It cannot be." The veins protruded from his face and neck, like black strands of hair on dead skin. "What else?" he demanded.

"Dumbledore said that there were more like it, and he plans to destroy them all." Voldemort put a hand on Nagini, petting her without even realizing it.

"Did he put on the ring?" Voldemort's eyes bulged.

"Like a fool, he did," Severus laughed a humorless laugh, and Voldemort too showed his crooked teeth, in what could only be guessed was a smile. "You do not have to fear, my lord. He came to me, the poison concentrated in his hand, and I made sure that he would die within the year." And Voldemort laughed, a sound like a sword skewering a boar.

"A most painful and humiliating death indeed," Voldemort said in glee, "he says he can stop me? Hah! The fool will die before he destroys the second one."

"But there is more," Severus said slowly. "Dumbledore did reveal that he was destroying all of these objects in order so that you would never be complete."

"What?" Voldemort searched Severus's face, for a lie. His anger was ready to burst with uncontrollable magic.

"He said that when you were resurrected, you were incomplete, because something inside was missing, and in order for you to reach your full power, you would need these objects." Severus could see within the Dark Lord's eyes, something was flicking. "These objects, he said, were your downfall."

Voldemort was silent as he digested what Severus said, "So my body is not complete, not without my Horcruxes."

"Horcruxes," Severus repeated, and Voldemort glared at him, "so if the missing parts of you were to become whole once more, then your body too."

"But I have no need for my spirit," Voldemort muttered to himself. And Severus too was coming to understand everything. Whatever was left of the Dark Lord's spirit was too little for his body, as if he were on the brink of death. "There is much amiss," Voldemort said quietly. "Leave me."

Severus bowed and dismissed himself. He only nodded at Lucius as he left. And he could only hope that he had done the right thing.

* * *

Severus almost forgot the meeting he had with Harmony. He was sitting on his desk, absentmindedly. He frowned down at his hands, and saw that they were cracked and bony. He felt a pain inside, like he was missing something. There was a slight knock at his door. Harmony was right on time. "Come in," he said solemnly.

The girl opened the door, and though he knew that it was Harmony, she painfully reminded him of another. Behind her came Draco, and he lifted a brow at him. He closed the door. "Professor," Harmony began, "we want to know more about the Dark Lord." Severus looked from the two and the frown persisted.

"Why are you here, Mister Malfoy?" he asked him directly, wanting to hear him speak.

"To help Harmony," Draco said firmly. Severus had not anticipated this. He should have though, Draco was mostly on Harmony's mind. But was Draco safe? He looked at him, trying to read him without intruding. He saw the mistrust there, and knew that they had the same eyes. He nodded his head.

"And why do you two not go to Dumbledore?" he asked them. But this time he saw the mistrust there in Harmony.

"Like he would tell me anything," she muttered.

"And is Dumbledore wrong for trying to protect you?" Severus wondered. She frowned.

"Not if he is going to treat me like a child. Professor, I don't know who else to go to." Harmony looked to him, she was too naive. And he did not wish for her to change that.

"Perhaps, not knowing will be better," Severus grumbled, but he shook his head. He knew that was wrong. "What would you like to know?"

"Why did the Dark Lord break into the Ministry of Magic?" Harmony asked, mindful not to say Voldemort.

"For the prophecy, but that is not important," Severus said, and Draco glanced at Harmony. "The Dark Lord is searching, for that which was once a part of him." As Severus stared into the girls eyes, he could pick up words that slipped through her mind. _The Dark Lord is seeking, seeking..._

"Is there some way I can stop him, that I can read his mind and find out what he's planning?" Harmony asked, and he knew what she had been planing.

"No!" Severus nearly shouted, starling the two standing, "right now you need to concentrate on blocking him out, and protecting yourself. You do not need to worry about anything else." He gripped the arm of his chair. "It is getting late," he seethed.

"Thank you Professor," Harmony said and turned to leave.

"A moment Malfoy," Severus said, stopping them both. Harmony left the room, but stood close to the door trying to hear.

"Yes?" Draco asked, standing awkwardly before the seated man.

"Home is no longer safe," Severus said, "and take to heart what is most important to you." Draco thanked him before leaving.

Severus Snape sat at his desk for awhile longer. He did not linger through the halls, watching for children to give detentions. He hoped that he could right things, that the Dark Lord's wrath would be away from the girl. And though the blackness would always remain, there was still a light that touched his heart.

* * *

***End of Chapter 17***

I finished NaNoWriMo, and wrote 50,000 words in November; if only I could do the same for this story. Hmm, new challenge!


	18. Chapter 18 the Prowl

**Harmony Lives**

Discailmio: You think I'm Rowling  
Without my pen-name on  
You think I'm J.K.  
When I write about Harry, wrong  
I know you got me  
So I'll let my walls come down, down!

I'll take my chance,  
Know that I'm not her  
Harry Potter is hers

**Chapter 18: the Prowl**

* * *

The dirt was frozen under her fingers, and chunks of it shot into the sky as Harmony ran. Her lithe body dogged trees, and leapt over jutting rocks. Her eyes were almost completely dilated, looking like two hollow spots. She was low to the ground, crouched behind a fern bush. The Forbidden Forest held all sorts of magical fey, and Harmony let out her own mists of breath. She wanted to become part of the forest, the caracal part of her was taking over.

With the snap of a twig breaking above her, Harmony moved on, training her ears to hear all around her. She looked up above her, and then back on the ground to make out any shadows. Her nostrils flared as she picked up the sent of another animal. It was close by, and Harmony stalked across the brown deaden leaves. Her mouth began to water, and she slowed to a crawl. She only had one time to pounce, and she wanted to win the hunt. She could feel her heart pounding through her veins, and was overwhelmed with how natural it felt.

She was close enough that she could hear the animal scurrying, and Harmony dropped to the ground. Her muscles were taught as she pin pointed the location of the creature. She shot through the underbrush and her paws were outstretched ready to take down the white haze that was only now about to run.

The ferret squeaked in freight as she playfully swiped it down. She could tell that Draco was a bit angry the way he hissed. But she took him in her mouth and lightly held him there. The caracal part of her purred in delight for capturing her prey, and she allowed the ferret to return to the ground before her instincts could tell her to take a bite. The wet ferret hissed at her, and Harmony gave an internal chuckle before smoothing his fur down with her tongue.

Above her, Ginny circled ready to dive, but there was a roar that shook them all. Harmony faced the bear that was crashing through the forest towards them. Above the bear a lemur climbed swung further up the branches, and Draco looked for a place where he wouldn't be squished. Harmony stood her ground, awaiting the challenge of the brown bear. The caracal within would not allow her to run. She waited till he was nearly atop her before lunging away, barely missing the paw that swiped at her head. Her muscles were taught and powerful throughout her body, and it didn't take much to jump three meters into the air; onto the thick end of a branch where Luna hung, clutching cartoonishly at the swinging branch. Luna's eyes were two blue blurs, and soon she jumped from the branch landing delicately on the spot between the ears of the grizzly bear. Harmony got ready to pounce down on the bear as well, but the talons aiming at her behind surprised her. She yowled, unable to turn around to face Ginny.

Air swept past her ear tassels as she dropped back to earth, and she too landed on Leighton's back, though not as gently. Her claws felt the coarse fur, but the smell of blood didn't trickle through. She jumped away before the bear could rise, and she melted into the leaves and brush of the forest. The snap of a twig alerted her of a new creature, and her eyes brushed over Draco.

He stood there with his arms crossed, and though it was dark, she could clearly see the displeasure he wore. He roughly swept a leaf from his messy hair, and Harmony crept closer to him. There was a loud rumble of a growl, the shriek of a beak, the howl of a lemur, and something like a mew of a cat. "That's not funny!" Draco said, his head turned in all directions, "this game isn't fair." Harmony got closer to him, brushing her head against his leg playfully, and taking a small nip at his robes. "Really, how am I supposed to play hunt with all you _predators_!"

The significantly large blob of a bear transformed into a slightly smaller large blob of a man. Draco didn't have to squint his eyes to know the grin on his face. "Then compensate for it, Frisker," he supplied and leaned against a tree, "make a trap for us." Harmony stood in her girl form next to Draco, the cold already seeping into her robes like frigid breaths. She could make out the flutter of wings against the starry sky, and Ginny landed close by on one foot. Harmony frowned as her bum began to sting, but otherwise ignored it. The last of the caracal's thoughts emptied from her mind and the rushing beats of her heart slowed.

Draco obviously did not see the merit of prancing about in the Forbidden Forest. Not as a defenseless ferret at least. He snorted at Leighton's reply. "Then you should become invisible to us," Leighton said, and Draco bit back his anger, and shoved his fists into robes. He knew that it had been a mistake to show everybody his ferret form. Not even an hour later and he was already suffering from that.

"Fine," he muttered through tight lips, but when Leighton told them that they were going to have fun in the snow, he really wished he had trusted his instincts and had turned away once their professor had uttered the word 'fun'.

"Hey, where's Luna?" Harmony asked, looking up into trees. Leighton checked his head, just to be sure, and laughed when he looked at his arm and saw the lemur there. She clung there for a moment longer before changing back.

"Maybe we should play a game where all of us hide, except for one, and that one looks for us!" Ginny exclaimed.

"You mean Hide-and-Seak?" Harmony said.

"Yeah, but not tonight," Leighton said, "tomorrow is a Hogsmead trip." The three of them looked at him with unblinking eyes, "opps."

"Really, Leighton!" Ginny smiled.

"Nope, never mind," Leighton turned back, heading towards what they hoped was the castle, "I didn't ruin Dumbledore's surprise."

* * *

Dumbledore did have a surprise up his robes as he stood before his students during the middle of breakfast. And no, he did not expose his under robes, or do anything of the sort. "It is my greatest pleasure," he said with a twinkle in his eye ball, "to announce that there will be a Hogsmead trip for today." The students sat up eagerly in their seats. "To celebrate the upcoming holidays." It was the end of the announcement, and Dumbledore sat back down. He knew that the students needed some livening up, but this trip served another purpose. He gave a wide smile as he thought of the other surprise that awaited.

"This time you must go!" Ron said to Harmony, "and I don't care about whatever Professor Snape says."

"Thanks Ron," Harmony smiled, feeling a tad guilty that she had not really talked with either him or Hermione, even though they sat together at meals. "But shouldn't you guys have a date or something?" Hermione pinked at that, but Ron did not notice that as he leaned across the table, or that parts of his robes were getting oatmeal stains.

"I need help finding a present for Hermione," he whispered, but they both knew that Hermione was smart enough to guess what words they were exchanging. "Just you and me," he said with a wink. Harmony swallowed the remark that she held, and nodded back at him. Ron gave a pleased look, and turned his attention back to Hermione.

The three of them walked to the dorms after breakfast, getting their money and other necessities before the trip. For once, Ginny did not bother her about dressing up, and Draco had not cornered her either. But as she walked with her best mate she smiled all the same, through her dismay.

Harmony and Ron fell into easy old jokes, talking about nothing important, and that was fine with her. They were in a jewelry shop at Hogsmead and Ron's eyes always would dart to the most expensive things in the shop, and then quickly look away. But he would look back again and frown. "Ron," she said, "you really don't have to stress, Hermione will like anything you get for her."

"Yeah," he said glumly, "but I want to get her something special." Ron's brows knit together, looking at bracelets that he could never afford. Harmony had already bought hair accessories for Ginny, and a turnip shaped wallet for Luna, and had some galleons to spare. She took the money from her pocket and passed it to Ron.

"I know that you are looking at that bracelet there, and I think that she will love it." Ron stared at the gold coins that were being offered to him, and he shook his head.

"Harry," he mumbled, "that's too much."

"It's my present to you," she punched his shoulder, "so make her happy." Ron gave a lopsided grin before hugging Harmony. Harmony smiled back and looked all around at the fine jewelry and charms. Her thoughts wandered to what she should get Draco, and knew that he could buy anything.

Her eyes were drawn to two dull looking rings that were stacked behind the colorful display. She could not have known it, but there was magic thinly laced into the metal. It was such a small amount of magic, that she could easily have missed it, but chance rested her eyes there. She made her way to the counter and crouched to see it better. These two rings did not look special, and she was about to turn away when the old man saw her looking. He had just finished giving back the small change to Ron, but knew an opportunity for a sale when he saw one. Behind thick glasses were eyes that looked like bulging masses.

"Ah," he rasped, "I see you looking at that necklace." Indeed there was a necklace hanging in front of Harmony but she shook her head. He shuffled over and slowly bent down to see. "No?" he pondered. He followed the finger that was pressed against the brightly lit glass, and he saw the two rings that were in the corner.

"What are those rings?" she asked, and Ron squatted next to her, eyeing the necklace.

"Those?" the old wizard scratched at the white whips at his balding head, "have been in my shop since I first opened here 80 years back." He slightly frowned as old memories glittered in his head. "Ah," he said at last and reached inside to bring the two old rings out, "these are a pair of magic rings, and when they are worn by two people, they show how the other is faring. I believe that they still work." Harmony could see the magic there as it absorbed some of the old man's magic. "Funny," he muttered to himself, "haven't seen these for awhile now."

"How much are they?" she asked, drawn to the plain looking rings. She had given most of her money to Ron, and hoped that she had enough. As she looked at these rings, she could imagine the cool gray metal. The old man straightened his back and smiled. He knew that he would probably not sell those rings in his life time. Though he did not look it, he was quick with counting money. He knew that he had given the red headed boy 14 Sickles and 3 Knuts back. So at least he could make that much.

"14 Sickles," the old man said, "but usually I would charge more." Ron happily handed the old man his change, feeling good that Harmony had enough for it. The old man pulled some wrapping paper from a pocket in his apron, and the gift wrapped itself.

"Thank you," Harmony said and put the rings inside her bag with the other gifts.

"So who is the other ring for?" Ron asked as they left the store. "What's her name?" Harmony laughed besides herself.

"No, no, no," Harmony waved her small hand aimlessly before her, as if she could brush it aside like a cloud, "it's nothing like that."

"Oh?" Ron laughed, "you can trust me, Harry." And though they were joking, never would she allow Draco's name to be reveled in such a manner to Ron. It would tear their friendship apart.

"I think I see Hermione," she replied, hoping that he would be distracted. It worked and soon Ron was bouncing on his heels, eager already to give Hermione the gift. He quickly hid it in his robes and flattened his hair down.

"How do I look?" he asked her, pawing at his bangs.

"Outstanding," Harmony said, "why don't you get some tea with her, I know a good place."

It looked as if Ron was about to disagree with that, but a goofy smile overcame his lips. "It's true that I haven't gone on a date with her for some time," and Harmony could tell that some part of him did not want to ditch her, though the bigger and more demanding other part was urging him closer to Hermione.

"Ron, I'll be fine," Hermione placed a hand on his back, propelling him towards the girl who had yet to spot the beaming boy. "I've just about had enough of shopping, and am ready to get back to Hogwarts."

Ron gave Harmony a big smile before shouting Hermione's name, and waving at the girl. Harmony turned away, wanting to do something relaxing. She ignored the clustering students on the side of the roads, marveling at the brightly lit window displays. She almost tripped over a dog that somehow materialized at her feet. The black blur reared on its hind paws before reaching at her as if it wanted a hug. She grinned widely, smothering her arms around the dog's head. The dog barked happily, wagging its tail and sniffing her uncontrollably. He nearly slobbered all over her face, and Harmony had to clasp the dog's muzzle between her hands.

"Padfoot!" Harmony whispered in disbelief, "what are you doing here?" Sirius gave her one last lick before dashing off, and Harmony followed the foot prints in the snow, ignoring the people staring as she skidded through the snow.

"Wait up!" she called as the shops began to fall behind and the trees sprung up around her. She stopped when she noticed that the footprints were no longer dog tracks and instead boot prints. "Sirius!" she whispered loudly, though no one would hear her from Hogsmead anyway. Harmony huffed in breaths, scanning the area for Sirius. She saw him on top a boulder, with his feet dangling to the side. "Sirius!" she said happily, and rushed over. He waved at the girl and dropped down from the boulder with a smile ready at his human lips.

"Harmony," he hugged the girl, bringing her close. Harmony took off the glasses that were on her face and willed her real appearance to show. he smiled down at her, and Harmony barely noticed the deeper lines that creased his charming face. "Oh, how I missed you," he said at last. "It's much too dreary to be cooped up in that house."

"Sirius," Harmony pulled away a bit, wanting a better look at her God Father, "what are you doing here?" He was so excited, that if he was still a dog, he probably would be whining.

"To protect you," Sirius said, "I'm staying in the cave for now."

"What are you talking about?" Harmony wondered, "and it's still too dangerous for you to be out again."

"Dumbledore didn't tell you?" Sirius asked. Harmony almost laughed at that line.

"No," she couldn't mask the annoyance in her voice, "what is it now?"

"Dumbledore requested for somebody to watch over you during winter break, and I convinced them that it should be me. I guess Dumbledore wanted it as a surprise."

"Why do I need protection?" Harmony asked, "isn't Hogwarts safe?" Sirius shrugged his shoulders.

"Dumbledore thinks that you should be watched," Sirius lead her to the cave entrance, and Harmony rolled her eyes.

"You can't stay here," Harmony muttered, "it's not good for you."

"Being here near you is better than anything else I could imagine." Sirius sat at the mouth of the cave, and made a fire at his feet. It gave off no smoke.

"Sirius," Harmony sat next to him, and hugged the elder man. "Thank you," she said softly, "but what can you do here, miles and miles away from me?" Sirius gave a lopsided grin.

"When the other kids are out on break, I can go inside and find a deserted room, or closet. I know quite a bunch of places."

"You shouldn't be here," Harmony persisted. Sirius frowned, and Harmony could swear that she saw his eyes droop. She was still mad at Dumbledore for doing whatever the old man pleased, but the thought of Sirius close during the winter break certainly cheered her mood. "You should be somewhere else. I know a good secret room for you where no one will find you." Harmony smiled and Sirius joined her.

* * *

There was no red carpet, lit candles, or velvet love seat when Harmony brought Sirius into the room. At first she wondered if this was the right place that Draco had showed her. There were piles of furniture and miscellaneous objects, but Harmony could have sworn it was the place. Sirius, in his dog form, began to sniff all around the room. Soon enough, he found a bone too big to be anything human to entertain himself.

"Sirius," Harmony said to the wagging dog, "I'll visit you every chance I can." Sirius changed back to his human form, forgetting the bone in his mouth in the process. He sat next to Harmony.

"And if you don't, I will have to search for you." He winked at her, but Harmony doubted that the man was joking.

"Really, you can't be seen by anyone," Harmony said, "and when you hear the door of this room open, make sure before you show yourself that it's me." Sirius looked down at the girl and nodded.

"Do you have that mirror?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Harmony answered.

"Keep that on you at all times," he said, "since I am to be watching out for you." He pulled out his own mirror from his robes, and placed it on a cabinet near them.

"I'll bring you food each day," she said, and Sirius shrugged his thin shoulders.

Harmony hugged the man beside her and clutched his thin robes. And though Snape would be furious at her for being five minutes late, she stayed with her head on his chest as if nothing else mattered.

* * *

When Hagrid brought the tree into the castle, the students beamed in delight. Already the school had glowing lights and streamers all about, and students chattered amongst themselves on their plans with their family. Snow piled high against the walls and students had massive snowball fights. Harmony sat with Luna and Ginny at a red oak table in the library. There were books piled high and Harmony was rubbing her strained eyes.

"I don't see why they give us so many stupid tests," Ginny said, "before break." Luna laughed at the magazine she was holding then let it fall to the table.

"I think it's to fill our heads with as much as they can and so when we come back, there's still a chance that something is left." Luna brought a new book out.

"Brains aren't balloons," Harmony said while writing her potions essay on the mixing properties of fungus and mildew. Meaning that she was just making it up. She doubted that Snape would read it. He would take one look at it and say, '_What is this? This looks like a chicken dipped its talons in ink and did the cha cha over it!'_

"Yes, but there seems to be a lot of people with air in their heads, and not just at Saint Mungos either." Luna said. Harmony snorted.

"Anyway," Ginny interrupted, "are you sure that you can't come home with me for Christmas?"

"You have already asked me six times Ginny, and the answer is the same," Harmony said, "I'm staying here." Ginny bit her bottom lip.

"I don't like the sound of you being alone in the castle," her eyes went round, "when you can be protected by the Order. Even Dumbledore won't be in Hogwarts!" Ginny caught her rising voice and glanced around to make sure that no one was listening.

"Ginny," Harmony took off her glasses and wiped them on her robes, "Dumbledore made preparations for me to be here, I'll be perfectly safe. Plus, we shouldn't talk about these things in the library."

"Fine, but don't think I'm done." Ginny returned to her book and gave out a big huff of breath. Harmony turned to her own essay and wondered if she should cross out the last sentence she had written.

"Ok, what do you guys think of this," Harmony asked, "The mixture of unicorn sweat and fungus produces a mildew of such potency that when swallowed could make the drinker's pores open and shoot out rainbows of butterflies."

"It's brilliant," Ginny said, "Snape will get a kick from that."

"I think that you mixed up unicorn with wombat," Luna said. They stared at the girl before clenching their mouths and trying not to laugh too loudly.

"No!" Ginny said, "it's definitely Snape's sweat!"

* * *

End of Chapter 18


	19. Chapter 19 Parted

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaimiarmous- I've seen that chick before she's so dangerous, JKR is so dangerous, she's a bad girl! (Due to copy_write_ issues her owning _Harry Potter_)

Chapter 19 **the Parted**

* * *

Wisps of wind scattered the snow to speckle the cobble platform. Harmony stood there waving at the compartment that was filled with her friends. They had their heads plastered to the train window, and she tried for a smile. She didn't care that many of the other students in other train compartments were pointing at her. Harmony lifted her hand as the train whistled and steamed to life. Luna and Ginny had the side window open and even as the train started to move and everyone else sat down, they kept their spot.

"We'll owl you, Harry!" Ginny shouted over the grunts of the train, "so do have fun!"

"Yes," she said, "and you all as well." Harmony lifted her hand and waved as the train passed her. The wind ruffled her hair and she shivered from the snow that tickled her. Even though she was left behind for the holidays, she rubbed her palms together and smiled. She would be spending Christmas with Sirius.

"Harmony," a voice said softly. She turned in surprise to see Draco and her eyes widened.

"Draco?" she asked, "what, did you miss the train?" He looked down at the noticeably shivering Potter and grinned.

"Come on, let's not stand here and freeze." When at first she didn't move he took the emerald scarf from his neck and draped it over Harmony. "We can talk on the way back." Harmony followed him, and wrapped the soft scarf around her bare neck. She allowed her Harry Potter guise to drop.

"Thanks," she said as she felt the warmth that lingered there. Draco slowed to her pace and turned to her. "So, why are you here?" She asked him.

"To be with you," he said, an answer, Harmony thought was so funny that she pretended to punch his arm.

"Right," she said.

"Yeah, though I was also warned not to go home."

"Oh, I see," Harmony said and crushed the beginnings of disappointment.

"I could have still gone home, but when I sent a letter to my folks, I never got a response back." Draco shrugged his shoulders.

_He's worried,_ Harmony thought, and watched his features closely. Draco noticed and flashed her a smile. For once Harmony didn't turn away. "Well," Harmony said, "don't expect this to be some kind of vacation."

"Really? I'm sure that I can spice it up for you," Draco bit back a laugh from her open mouth, "no need for both of us to be bored, right Harmony?" She closed her mouth.

"I guess we can go with Leighton then, and have some _fun,_" she said and smiled as Draco twitched.

"Yeah," he muttered, "about that."

"Race you," she shot from over her shoulder and began to run. Draco laughed before scoping a handful of snow into a ball and chucking it at her back.

"Hey!" she turned around to see that he was nowhere in sight. "Draco?" She went around in a circle before calling his name once more. There. She saw the tiny shadow of a ferret scampering towards the castle and laughed. Draco changed back and began to run a good few feet ahead, and though she ran till the white of the world swarmed around her, she could not catch up with her shorter legs.

Harmony huffed out a storm by the time that she made it to the castle and her head spun from the cold. "Beat you," Draco said in a similar state against the wall.

"Again," Harmony gasped out and Draco lifted an eyebrow, "on brooms this time." Draco smiled at the challenge.

"I'd love to," he said and Harmony felt the warmth run through her.

"Tomorrow then."

* * *

Harmony slumped a bag over her shoulder and left the Gryffindor room. She couldn't help but feel the emptiness of the house, and left in a rush. She checked the passageway before throwing the cloak over her shoulders. The sun had set hours ago and curfew passed along with it.

Some of the torches along the wall had burned out, and a cool draft persisted to permeate through the concrete walls. No one was there to hear her footfalls or see her as a girl, and Harmony wondered if she needed such caution. But she had to use it. She was going to spend most of the night celebrating with Sirius. In a few hours it would be Christmas.

She walked faster now with excitement bouncing in her heels. She smiled at the prospect of flying with Draco that night. She didn't even care about the competition. Her smile lifted as she saw him where the dungeons of the Slytherin house began. He must have heard her echoing feet, and turned her way. "Harmony?"

She was close to him, able to see his face clearly. She let the cloak slip to the stone ground, and Draco gave a surprised start. "Wow," he said, "That explains a lot." He moved from the wall. "I was about to go and meet you."

"I got bored," Harmony said, "and I have a feeling that we may need it." She picked it from around her feet and lifted it above her head, "come on." A smile lit his mouth as he stepped in front of the girl whose head barely meet his shoulders. She had to reach on her toes to get the cloth over him. He leaned in closer to her, lowering his head so that it was easier for her. Harmony looked into his eyes the entire time, and only when the cloak completely covered the two did she turn to lead the way.

Harmony was entirely conscious of the occupant behind her, and though he was at the same distance as Ron had been if he were there, Draco was much too close. She felt a touch to her side as he strayed a hand there. At once all her focus drifted. That hand radiated heat through her, spilling into her thoughts. She wondered what that hand would feel like against her own. Rough, hard, or firm? She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping to slow her breaths, her embarrassment, and her heart. When that touch left, the feeling did not.

"Harmony," Draco whispered by her ear. Her step faltered. He couldn't possibly know that she was thinking about him.

"Yeah?"

"You're going the wrong way."

"Oh." She laughed at herself, relieved.

"Allow me." Harmony stood still as Draco stepped around her. She met his gaze and calm smile. He changed their course and she stared at his back. She reached for him, he was so close. Her body reacted, and with a sinking certainty that was in her heated face she knew that she was falling for Draco Malfoy. _Shite_. This was not supposed to happen.

She wanted to hold his hand and slap her face at the same time. To touch him and push him away. She covered her eyes with her hands. This could not be.

He stopped at the Quidditch equipment room and Harmony almost bumped into him. He lifted the cloak from her and Harmony stepped away. "I remember you using this cloak," Draco said, "at Hogsmead one year."

"Yeah," Harmony went straight for her broom. She did not meet his eyes for the fear that he would read what was on her face. Or had he already? She bit her lip. She took an unnecessary long time fiddling with her gear, but she couldn't help it, not with her hands shaking. Before long she felt his eyes on her. She slid her goggles on and turned to see Draco smiling.

"Nervous?" he asked. She shook her head, and betrayed her thoughts. He casually stepped till he was in front of her. She couldn't look away and gripped her broom tighter with it pressed against her chest. Why had she made this silly challenge?

"You wish." She laughed, hoping that he could not see through her. His smile grew wider.

"Yes," he said and took her hand, "that _has_ been my wish for a very long time." Harmony bit her bottom lip, this could not be happening. He led her to the cold of the night, and that single contact of his hand made her forget her anxiety. That was till she realized that holding his hand was precisely what she was not supposed to do.

"Thanks, but I'm not a child," her hand slipped from his, "I can manage my way without getting lost." She regretted the loss of warmth almost immediately.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, "I think your making stuff up in your head." _Then why are you holding my hand? _She wanted to yell into the night. Maybe she _was_ driving herself mental.

"Nothing," she muttered and got on her broom. He followed her and they soared into the night. Usually as she flew she could forget about everything and just enjoy the sensation of flying, but not now. Not with her feelings for Draco making her thoughts hot and dreadful. She couldn't be with him, how could she? His teasing her didn't mean that he had any interest in her. Why would he have _any_ feelings for her anyway? She could imagine him laughing if he ever discovered her tumult.

"Harmony!" Draco yelled, "let's go over the Forbidden Forest!"

Harmony veered to the left, gaining speed as she went after Draco. They were side by side, and Harmony looked at him. The moonlight caressed his features and swept his hair back. He didn't seem to notice her stare and Harmony knew that she had damned herself.

She turned her attention to the land below her, and saw the beauty there. The white of the snow covered the tree branches, and grass fields. They went over the lake, nearly skimming the black surface. Harmony went faster on her firebolt, passing Draco. She leaned on the handle, making herself flat. _Faster_. She was over the forest now and dodged trees that stuck out. She could hear the whistle of air in her ears, and the faint sound of Draco behind her. The cold air struck her face, and she welcomed it.

She turned to her right, careful not to stray too far from Hogwarts. Draco must have anticipated that since she saw him at the corner of her eye. She shot further, making her way to Draco. It took only a moment before they were side by side, and again she observed his face and could see the joy clearly expressed. This time he noticed and returned the gaze in a lazy manner.

"This way," he shouted, and they went towards Hogwarts. Their handles pointed up, and they went along the castle walls, higher and higher. They passed the castle roof and continued on. Harmony looked to the moon and she held out her hand as if that tiny orb was a snitch. It was colder here, and soon they were forced to level out. "I have never been this high up before," Draco said as his legs nearly brushed hers. She watched the visible breaths that left his lips.

"Yeah," Harmony said and quickly diverted her eyes to the Great Lake and the reflection of the moon. "It is beautiful." Draco looked at her in the soft moonlight, and agreed. And though her eyes were down cast, she could not control the pink that seeped through her cold cheeks. "Let's race back down," she said. Her eyes met his, and his eyebrow lifted.

"You do realize that we must be over 70 meters up."

"And?" Harmony asked.

"And knowing you, you will pull up at the very last second and very much likely die." Harmony scoffed at that.

"No," she said.

"Still, I don't want to risk our lives in such a silly way."

"I think it's safe."

"Uh huh, and I think you're mental," Draco said amused. Harmony had her mouth open to suggest that they do it over the lake when a biting gust of wind froze her words. Her whole body shivered, as if Dementors had struck her.

"Alright," she said, tipping her broom at a soft angle. Another wind swerved her left, and taught muscles strained as she steadied her broom. They were at a safe distance to the ground and were able to soar almost parallel to the forest.

"Harmony," Draco said next to her, "it looks like a snow storm will be blowing in." Over her shoulder there were dark clouds that covered the moon, and Harmony frowned. A slight qualm pricked at her thoughts, and she silently thanked Draco for not allowing her to plummet back.

They landed in a pile of ankle deep snow, and went straight to the door. Draco had no time to hold the door for her, seeing as Harmony had kicked it open. "What time is it?" she asked him as she shoved her broom back in her locker.

"Nearly midnight," Draco said and stripped his leather gloves from warm fingers. He had not forgotten to spell them warm before he left. He heard a loud bang as Harmony slammed her locker. "Something the matter?" He put the rest of his things in his own locker before spelling it shut.

"No," Harmony said. She checked her bag and took out the invisibility cloak.

"Harmony," Draco stepped in front of her, "your hands." She hadn't noticed that they were shaking, and she clenched them into fists.

"It's nothing," she said, "just the cold." Without saying anything he reached for her palms, and slipped his fingers between hers. She looked down at their intertwined fingers and then at his smirk.

"Anywhere else cold?" he asked her, and within seconds, heat swelled through her. With difficulty she swallowed.

"I have to go," she said, and she broke away. With one last look she fled for the door and threw the cloak around her.

"Harmony!" she heard him shout, "wait." She didn't stop. She did not even allow herself to look back. Harmony picked up her pace.

There was that prickle in her thoughts again, and Harmony wished for everything to be alright. She wanted to make it to Sirius before midnight. She checked her bag to make sure the gift was there.

Her footsteps echoed in the dark corridors and the cloak fell from her shoulders as the door to the room materialized, she stuffed the cloak into her bag. She wrenched the door open, and Harmony stepped inside. "Sirius?" she said. She waited for an answer that didn't come. The room was big, but not grand enough to get lost in. Was he asleep? The door creaked behind her.

It wasn't Sirius. "Draco," Harmony whispered. He didn't even shut the door as he walked to her.

"Harmony," he said and held her hands, "what's wrong?" She wanted to pull away, and he saw that. "Don't." She looked at him, aware of the blush that betrayed her. That she could not hide, even if she wanted.

"I can't," Harmony whispered.

"But," Draco said, "I want to be with you." All at once she felt his chest against her, along with arms that embraced her. She met his direct gaze as he searched her face. A warm hand met her cheek and this touch trailed over the shape of her lips. She pressed her palms to his waist, gripping him. His light caress traced down her jaw and rested to the back of her neck. Her breath caught as he wrapped his other hand behind her back and lowered his head. His lips brushed against hers, tantalizing her by not quite touching her. Delicious warmth tingled her body as he fully claimed her lips. She didn't want him to pull away, and gave a slight protest when he did.

She ran a hand up to his shoulder blade and this time went on her toes for a kiss. She felt happiness bubble inside as she felt his arms around her, bringing her closer. She didn't think about what she was doing, not even caring if there was a right way. She moved her hand to the back of his head, feeling his silky hair.

"Wow," he said in what could have been a laugh, moving to kiss her cheek, and she moved her head to kiss him again. He went for her neck, and enjoyed the hitch of her breath as he gave her a soft kiss there.

Then the growling began. They pulled apart to see a great black dog baring its teeth, and snapping. Harmony's eyes widened. "Shite. It's OK," she held her hands up to the dog. Draco put his arm in front of the girl and faced the dog, not realizing that was driving Sirius even madder.

"Draco," Harmony grabbed Draco's arm, "you should really go now." The dog snarled at Harmony for touching Draco. "Please."

"And leave you with it?" Draco said while watching the dog. "Hell no." Sirius was taking steps closer while growling. "What's with this dog?" Sirius jumped at Draco, ripping at his robes.

"Don't harm him! Padfoot stop!" Harmony yelled. Draco had his wand pointed at the dog while at the same time trying not to get his foot torn off. He was thinking of a spell that wouldn't hurt the animal, and failing. It sank its teeth into the back of his ankle and he cursed aloud. 

What hit the dog was much worse than the crucio curse. Harmony blanched as she saw blood stream from Sirius's face, as if he had been hit with a crowbar. His eyes bled red. Sirius whined and dropped the leg to look beyond Draco through the eye that was still intact. The growl came back and he began charging for the doorway. Harmony turned to face Lucious Malfoy. "No," she whispered as she saw Lucious's raised wand. Her heart dropped as Sirius jumped with fangs wide at Mr. Malfoy. He never reached him.

The spell sent Sirius backwards into a table and breaking it. Breaking Sirius too. Blood blossomed through Sirius's front robes and Harmony felt her chest ache. "No," she said, this could not be happening. She turned to Mr. Malfoy, to see the smirk there. A hate consumed her, and magic swarmed through her, crackling with a biting rage. She pointed her wand at him, and for the first time, she desired suffering for another. "Do you know what you have done?" she asked him and felt a cold dread. Mr. Malfoy looked down at Harmony, believing the girl to be no real threat. Draco looked stricken as he held his bloody foot, and watched his father and Harmony.

"Of course," came his cool and uncaring reply.

"No," Harmony said, "you don't." And she would show him.

He deflected the first spell that she shot at him as if it were child's play. It crashed into the wall and books crumbled into ash. The gasping breaths from Sirius twisted her stomach and she shot a blast of magic without her wand. It hit Malfoy, knocking him backwards into the door frame. In the corner of her eye, she could see Sirius staggering to his feet. She had never seen so much blood on a man before, and it scared her. Half of Sirius's face looked like raw meat, and blood continued to seep from a wound at his chest. "Sirius!" Harmony cried, "don't move." She took a step to him and something immobilized her body. She stood fixed with the same expression of shock and sickness that the spell had rooted her in when it hit her.

Mr. Malfoy picked himself off from the floor and wiped the trickle of sweat from his brow. "Sirius Black," he said, ignoring her, "it's a pleasure to see you." Harmony hated the smirk on the man's face, and wanted to rip it off.

"What are you doing here?" These words came from Sirius's mouth, but to Harmony it didn't sound like him. They were words from the mouth of a drowning man.

"A little business," Malfoy said.

"Take one more step and you're dead," Sirius held his wand out and it shook in his hand.

Mr. Malfoy laughed, and took a step, "I'd like to see you try."

Harmony could see Draco getting to his own feet, watching the entire exchange in confusion. Their eyes met. _Please_, she thought, _help Sirius_.

Sirius aimed first, a jet of blue that the other man sidestepped. Sirius shot another spell that whipped around the room and scorched the walls and furniture. Malfoy shielded himself, but was winded from the force. He retaliated with a curse that shot gusts of piercing wind that slashed the floors but was unable to touch Sirius.

Harmony could tell that Sirius was barely conscious. Blood dotted the floor, and his breathing was labored. With each second Sirius's face sheened with blood and sweat. Harmony was powerless to do anything. _Move damnit_. But her body failed to respond. Sirius was dying before her eyes, and she could only stand there. She looked at Draco again who was motionless as well.

Harmony could not look away as a spell hit Sirius's stomach, making him gasp in pain and fall back. Mr. Malfoy walked to Sirius and bent to grab the man's hair.

Harmony could not tell if he was breathing. She was choking as well, on a lump that constricted her throat. _No_.

"What, done already?" Mr. Malfoy jeered. The pain in her began to boil. He stopped to behold a cabinet with Sirius's mirror propped up. She could imagine Sirius watching the enchanted mirror all day, listening to her and Draco that very night. The dread began to throb against her, wanting to burst from her. Malfoy took from that cabinet a tiara, and the anguish began to escape her.

Her magic engulfed the spell, and she began to shake. _You bastard_, her mind screamed, _I'm_ _going to fucking kill you!_ The spell was only wearing off, and Harmony's hand shook as if there were weights holding her down. She pointed her wand at Malfoy senior.

Unforgivable curses whispered enticingly in her mind, and as if Mr. Malfoy could hear her, he turned to the girl. His eyes widened, as she shot a spell that struck his face and left a laceration there. His face twisted into a mask of loathing, and the sickening vengeance enraptured her.

"You!" he spat, and under his breath whispered a disarming spell. The spell ripped the wand from her fingers, and Harmony seethed. "Who are you?" he asked, wiping blood from his cheek.

"Don't hurt her," Draco said, "she is nobody."

"Strange," he said and really looked at her eyes. Eyes that he could have sworn he had seen before. He stepped to the girl with confidence.

"Father!" Draco said as the man put a hand to touch Harmony's now passive face. The instant he made contact with the girl, magic shot through his arm. It clawed at him, crushing his arm and tearing outwards from his flesh. The man screamed and cradled the wound that continued to twist and rupture. He wheeled away from her, eyes vivid with pain.

The spell on Harmony dropped as she stared at Mr. Malfoy. She did not gain the satisfaction she thought she would have. She felt hollow and as she stumbled to Sirius. Her body was drained. "Sirius," she whispered and put a hand on his chest. A part of her still hoped, but she knew. Knew that the very last part of him was leaving, and he would be dead.

The room became silent. Harmony kneeled in front of Sirius's body and held his head. He had ceased breathing and she looked into his one good eye. An eye that focused on her before drooping seconds later. Harmony gripped the man's cloak and continued to watch her God Father. This was a mistake. Sirius couldn't be dead. He was still warm, and his eye wasn't glassy. Harmony searched for Sirius in the dead body. She found nothing.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

* * *

End of chapter 19


	20. Chapter 20 the Mistake

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaimiartus: Ladies love my style, at the computer gettin wild. Get them chapters up king, we get that writ and that wrote. Now give me 2 more thanks cuz you know it doesn't stop. Hell yeah Read it up, read- read it up.

**Chapter 20: The Mistake**

* * *

Draco stared at the man who laid crumpled at his father's feet. Half the man's face was unrecognizable, but Draco knew him from the posters in his third year. Sirius Black, the only man to break out of Azkaban. He could easily recall the man's haunted eyes, that hollow gaze.

Draco could not fathom why Sirius Black was there or why his father was on the verge of murdering a man.

"What, done already?" Draco could easily imagine the sneer on his father's lips.

He looked to Harmony and saw her eyes pleading him to do something, and yet he could not move. His eyes locked to his father's back as the man took something from a cabinet. The man pivoted to face him, washing Draco with a lingering disgust that he himself had used plenty times, before directing his attention to Harmony. Draco ignored the pain in his leg as he lifted himself from the floor.

All at once a spell from Harmony struck his father's face, and Draco knew that there would be more blood to pay. "You!" is father spat, and cupped the wound at his face. The wand in Harmony's shaking fingertips was wrenched from her grasp and flung away with a spell. "Who is this?" His Father directed at Draco.

"Don't hurt her," Draco almost pleaded, "she is nobody." Sirius Black's face was fresh in his mind, and he knew what his father was capable of.

"Strange," his father said, and strode to Harmony. Draco tensed before taking a step closer, not even aware of what he would do. This was his father, and there was Harmony. It was as if he was torn between the two and Draco knew with a sinking certainity that he could not stop his father from reaching Harmony.

"Father!" Draco shouted, but something else stopped him. Mr. Malfoy screamed and kneeled to the floor. He was clutching an arm that now hung uselessly. Draco watched Harmony with an open mouth, not being able to read what lay behind the anguish. She staggered to Black, and Draco found that his body too could move. Those nonexistent weights that anchored him soundlessly dropped to the floor. He ignored his father who still clutched his arm as he went to the trembling girl.

Harmony cradled Sirius Black's head and tears welled up in her eyes. Draco could not understand why. Here was the man who had sold out her parents and had tried to kill her, and Harmony whose tears fell upon him. Black was dead. But still Harmony clenched the man's robes and brought her head down to the dead man's chest. Draco felt a cold dread as he wondered why she looked as if she wanted to join him. Traces of Blood stained her clothes and he stepped closer.

"Harmony," he touched her shoulder. Harmony flinched away from him, and looked through eyes with such sorrow, that it felt like it had been he who had sentenced the murder.

"Don't touch me," she said softly. Something twisted him inside. Maybe he had done this.

"I-" he began, but stumbled through words he did not know how to say, "I'm- sorry."

"You can't be dead," she said, "no, Sirius, please wake up."

Draco crouched next to her, careful not to look at Sirius Black. "Harmony, we need to get somebody." He tried to hold her hand, but she gripped them to fists.

"Leave me alone!" Tears hung from her eyelashes. He tried again to hold her, but she would have none of him. "I said _don't touch me_." She said harshly, and looked behind him to where his father was.

"Harmony," Draco said, "I really don't know what's going on."

"You and your father can rot," she stared at Draco. "He was a dad to me, and you watched him die."

Draco looked down at his hands, and the words settled with a pang of affliction. His father had killed Harmony's father, and he had done nothing. He could not meet her eyes, without knowing that he had caused part of that sorrow. "I didn't know," he said quickly, as if to convince her that it wasn't his fault. He didn't know that Sirius Black was somebody dear to her, and he had not known what to do. "I'm sorry." Draco could see the marks of tears drip down her face, and he dared not wipe them away.

"Please," she said, "go." Something grabbed his shoulder, tugging him back. Draco looked in surprise at his father, who was pulling him away.

"Wait, father."

"Draco, follow me." The severe look that his father gave him left no room for any disobedience.

"I'll be right back, Harmony." She did not respond to him, as if she was in her own world where he did not exist. His father gripped his arm tightly as they left the room. He was still in pain. "You should get that checked out," Draco said. His father gave him a look, which shut him up.

"Why are you not home?" his father asked as they continued on, "your mother is worried about you."

"You didn't respond to my letters," Draco said quietly. "Why are you here?" And why did you have to kill a man, was left unsaid.

"For business," his father said, which meant either for the Dark Lord or for the Ministry.

"For the Dark Lord," Draco guessed. The silence that followed was answer enough. "What does he want? Is it something you got from the room?"

"That's none of your concern, but I am here for another reason." His father looked down at him as they conversed, watching Draco for anything. Draco did the same.

"Yes?" Draco asked.

"To bring you back."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"You need to come home, the Dark Lord bids for you."

Draco kept a straight face, though his muscles tensed. He knew that this would have happened sooner or later, though not this early. "I cannot, father. I-," Draco paused, and met his father's unnerving eyes, "I do not want anything to do with him." Mr. Malfoy blinked down at his son in utter bewilderment.

"What has gotten into you?" He shook his head as if in denial, "there are rumors that you are friends with _Potter._" He spat out the last word with disgust.

"What?" Draco asked, "From whom?"

"Don't think that Hogwarts is safe, there are eyes watching."

"Then let them know, it's true."

Mr. Malfoy stared at his son with eyes filled with amazement.

"This is ridiculous, Draco, I'm taking you back with me." Draco stopped in his tracks and did not cower from his father's frown and growing impatience. "You will come here."

"This is where we part," Draco said.

"What! Do you think that I will let you throw away your life! Draco, you must understand, you will be killed for being a traitor!" Mr. Malfoy's voice grew and ricocheted off the walls.

"I've already made my choice," Draco said with a cool composure. Death's grip of fear would no longer stop him.

"Is it because of that girl? Who is she? I do not approve of her." Mr. Malfoy grabbed his wounded arm and hissed. "I'm doing these things for your own good."

"What, killing a man for me? That sure helps us all!" Draco glared into the other man's frown.

"You do not understand what your actions have caused, Draco! You do not understand anything. The Dark Lord is furious, and is punishing us. If you do not come home, you jeopardize your mother and me, and you will be as good as dead. I killed Sirius Black to please Him! Who cares if that filth lived or not, he was a wanted murderer anyway."

"He could have been a father protecting his daughter!" Draco countered.

"He could have been a blasted fairy for all I care. What has gotten into your head, son, he was attacking you." Mr. Malfoy put a hand over his eyes. "This cannot be. Potter has bewitched you."

"This is goodbye, Father," Draco said. The torches against the wall flickered against his father's face, and Draco took a step back.

"Draco, you cannot be serious." Mr. Malfoy said in a low voice. "I won't allow you to die!"

"Then make sure Harry doesn't die," Draco said, "my life depends on that." Through the grave silence, footsteps were approaching. His father noticed as well, and looked down at Draco. There was pain in those eyes and Draco wished that there was another way. "I'm sorry," Draco almost whispered. Mr. Malfoy took a step towards him, and he saw his father's arm come for his wrist. He only hoped that there was no wand there as he turned around and ran for those footsteps. He couldn't bear to see his father so.

"Draco!" his father yelled after him. And Draco knew that he had messed things up. None of this was supposed to happen. He had royally screwed things with Harmony, and now with his family, and it was his entire fault. He began to slow, and without thinking, he brought a fist to the wall in anger. He wanted to curse aloud. He pushed his aching hand to his forehead, was it not too late to fix things?

"Draco? What is the matter?" Draco looked up to see Severus Snape, and it felt like his leg would forsake him.

"Professor, Harmony needs help," Draco said. "And Sirius Black has been killed." Snape's eyes widened.

"What is the meaning of this?" Snape had an expression which Draco could not read as he placed both hands on Draco's shoulders.

"I need to get back to Harmony," Draco said as he began to take a step and almost buckle.

"You're trailing blood," Snape remarked. "Sit down." Draco had no choice but to lean against the wall as the man scrutinized his ankle. He had forgotten about his leg. Draco rolled up his pants from his ankle, and looked away from the tender mess. He didn't complain as Snape took a wand to it and bandages wrapped in tight circles around his leg. Snape helped him from the floor and steadied Draco.

"Thank you professor," Draco said. Draco looked back to where his father could have caught up with him, but there was no one watching in the shadows. Draco leaned against Snape as they walked back to the room.

"Tell me what happened," Snape asked, and Draco did. The only thing that he left out was the kiss that Harmony and he had shared. It was maddening to think that simple kiss had started it all. And as much as it had damned him, it was worth more than he could have ever imagined. He had waited for that moment, when he knew with an absolute certainty that she would not have pushed him away. He had watched her innocent blushes, and had controlled himself. Till that very night when he could see her longing there and wanted to brush away all of her doubts and insecurities. Draco wanted to laugh at himself. He had been a fool, who had lost it all.

"I screwed up, Professor," Draco said.

"What Draco?" Snape asked.

"I couldn't face my dad, and didn't protect Harmony. I just froze there like a fool."

"That's not how I see it. You stood up against your father, and told him that you would not be one of the Dark Lord's followers." Snape said, "Draco, what happened was not your fault."

"Harmony will never forgive me," Draco muttered.

"If you want forgiveness, then earn it. It's up to you to continue to be with her, or not." Draco stared at Snape's hard expression with surprise. "But if you run away from her now, then you will lose her forever."

"Thank you," Draco said, before pushing himself further to make it to Harmony. When they reached the room, Harmony was still bent over Sirius's body. He had not known that pain could rebound to him if he were to ever hurt another person. Or that seeing another's suffering could bring him to his knees. The sight of Harmony with blood and tears mingled together mourning somebody she had loved, was worst than any physical pain he had experienced. It was a twisting ache, that magic would not heal. "Harmony," Draco said. "I am here."

She didn't respond to him, and Draco was at a loss. Did she still wish to be alone? Or worse, would she never want to see him again? He would never be able to take that kind of parting.

"Enough, Harmony," Snape said in what could have been a gentle yet firm tone. "Come here." Draco could not believe it as she got up and went to Snape. Even more disbelieving was that Snape touched her shoulder, and she leaned closer to him. "Draco," Snape ordered, "alert Madam Pomfrey." Draco looked taken aback at that, but he stopped his mouth from protesting. He left the room soundlessly, and briefly wondered if he would trust Harmony with anybody. What choice did he have? Harmony would only push him away. Draco could feel dejection eat at him from the inside, but he would have to bear it if he ever wanted to be with Harmony.

* * *

Draco only saw her once before she left on the train. He had asked Snape if he could go with Harmony back to where ever she was going, but he told him to stay. He wasn't even allowed to ride the Hogwarts express with her, so Draco stood waiting on the platform. The snow had picked up and he stood ankle deep in snow. When Harmony came, she had dark circles under her eyes that matched his own. Snape and McGonagall escorted her, and Harmony barely looked at him. He wanted to hold her tight, and see her smile. He didn't care that the professors watched him as he handed her a small velvet bag. He didn't seem to notice that his hair was messed up, or that he wasn't wearing a jacket. All that entertained his thought was Harmony. He wanted to tell her Merry Christmas, but he knew that if he opened his mouth, he would tell her not to go. She looked at the black bag silently before reaching into her own robes and retrieving a pair of bundled up socks. She passed it to him unceremoniously, and Draco felt his hopes rise besides the fact that he was given a pair of worn and fraying pair of socks. She left before he could say thanks, just passed him without a word. Snape looked back at him with a frown as Draco gripped the socks in his hands. He hoped that she wouldn't throw his gift away.

She disappeared into the train, and Draco whispered a good bye to her. It would be a terrible week alone. A week stuck with himself. He unraveled the socks, and couldn't help but think that she really hated him. And though he ought to have been offended, he was incredulously thankful. In fact, he began to chuckle, for he realized that the socks were what she used to wrap the gift. Hiding in one large sock was a small ring, and as he put it on, colors swarmed around the band like ink. Dark colors that twisted around his finger.

* * *

End of Chapter 20


	21. Chapter 21 the Muddle

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaim~Imust- Fun, doing it for fun  
Cause we love the life of the free and famous

Love, doing it for love  
Cause we love JK's world of Harry Potter

**Chapter 21 the Muddle**

* * *

Harmony wished that she was dead. She lay on her bed, chocking as if the lump in her throat had grown a hand. Her fists clenched till nails dug into her palms and thin flecks of white pealed off. She hated herself. Enough that the thought of punching a window would have brought some kind of satisfaction. She had delivered Sirius's death, and her heart, like an open wound, festered.

The blanket snaked around Harmony's twisting form as she unconsciously writhed. She fought against her body as she relived Sirius's death. Harmony could barely breathe as the sheets rung around her neck, chest and stomach. She quivered and shook with the desperation to escape her confines, till finally Sirius's eyes glazed dead and locked on her.

Harmony choked out a gasp and the anguish gripped her further. She wrestled free from her bed and stood on the cold floor hugging herself. "Damn," she rasped, and massaged her dry throat. She had been so close. A hate bubbled inside. A part that despised herself for being alive, and another for desiring death. But what was worse was that everything surrounded her reminded her of him. For good reason too, since she was in his house.

Harmony hated Dumbledore for forcing her to stay at number 12 Grimmauld place. It was cruel to be encased in it, like a gravestone awaiting a coffin.

Harmony was careful to tread softly over the creaky floor as she made her way to the stairs. The grip around her neck had not loosened. She needed water.

She didn't have her glasses on, but her Harry face was good enough as she made her way to the kitchen door. There was a stifled hiss from beyond the kitchen and Harmony knew that Kreacher must be up. "Great," Harmony muttered under her breath and turned to leave.

"Give it back, give what you stole back to Kreacher." Harmony stopped and brought her ear to the door. "Rotten excuse, you filth, I know you have it."

"Shudup! Point that fing' away from me." With raising voices and chairs falling to the floor, the house would soon awaken. "I've nothing of yours."

"Liar!" Kreacher shrieked and Harmony barged in. Kreacher stood atop the table with his fists outstretched toward a wand armed Mundungus Fletcher. They both turned their heads at the intruder with similar looks of contempt, though Kreacher's face was warped in rage.

"What the bloody 'ell is going on in here?" Harmony asked. Fletcher gave a wide grin and lifted both of his hands.

"Nutin', Harry," he responded, "The house elf's his usual loathsome self."

"Lies!" Kreacher hissed, "Oh, if Mistress knew what liars and thieves had ransacked her home."

"Kreacher," Harmony turned to him next, "what happened?"

"He!" Kreacher spat while pointing a crooked finger at Fletcher, "has been stealing from the dead Master and Mistress since a week ago, and I saw him in my cupboard. He has it, I know he does!" Harmony would not have cared about the fact that the man was stealing from the house, but the way that Kreacher seemed almost desperate and wild made Harmony really look at Kreacher. "Give it back!"

Fletcher gave a nervous laugh and got behind a kitchen chair. "Ya don't believe this thing, right Harry?"

Harmony looked at the livid creature that was huffing and wheezing. "Just return what you have, Fletcher, and we can all forget this happened."

"What!" Fletcher said, "I'll not be treated like this, I'm leaving."

"No!" Kreacher croaked like a dying toad and pointed his finger at the man.

"You can't," the man gloated, "or 'ur head'll be cut off."

"Yes he can," Harmony stepped closer, "Kreacher I command you to retrieve what has been stolen." Kreacher gave a wicked smirk before a stream of magic shot from his finger and hit Fletcher. The man slumped to the floor pinioned and petrified. "I have inherited all that was my late God father's, and I want you to return what's rightfully mine."

"Yes," Kreacher said, "listen to Harry Potter."

Fletcher frowned and with a shaking hand went into his robes to empty out his pockets. Silverware of all kinds and other magical items began to pile to the floor, and Kreacher looked on with beaming eyes. "And the locket!" Kreacher croaked when that had not yet been revealed. Fletcher looked on in disgust before lifting up from over his neck a locket that he clenched in his soot filled hands. Once Harmony touched the cold chain of the locket, she nearly dropped it. Her scar pricked with heat. With it in her hands, the pain disappeared and Harmony saw how beautiful and deadly it was.

"Alright, Fletcher," she said, " if you ever steal anything from here again, I will personally remove you from the house." The magic dissipated from his limbs and the man looked at both of them livid with anger.

"You've made a mistake, Potter." Fletcher hoisted himself up and brushed his dust encrusted robes before fleeing the room.

"Thank you, Master," Kreacher said and held out his hands for the locket.

"Kreacher. What is this?" Harmony asked and brought it closer to her face. The locket was made of a heavy gold with a snake in the center in a serpentine S.

"Just a locket," Kreacher said.

"Why is it so important to you?" Harmony muttered. Kreacher's fingers twitched as if the air rattled them.

"It's from Master." Kreacher's eyes were glued to the locket, as if it nothing else in the world mattered.

"Sirius?" Harmony said in disbelief.

"No," Kreacher spat, "Master Regulus Black, now give it to Kreacher."

"There is something more about it, it's dark, I don't think you should keep it." Kreacher hissed at that and stuck out his hand further. "What are you going to do with it?" Harmony asked.

"You must give it here," Kreacher said, and under his breath continued, "oh, Master, how it pains Kreacher that he cannot carry out your last command."

"What was that?" Harmony asked. She picked at the locket further, but it was stuck. "Strange it won't open."

Kreacher looked at her with wide wild eyes, "Give it to Kreacher. Kreacher must have it!"

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Kreacher, why is this locket so important?" Harmony asked as the house elf began to twitch.

"It-" Kreacher's head turned side to side, "must be destroyed!" He made a quick swoop for it, but Harmony held it well above the both of them.

"Destroyed?" Harmony wondered, "why destroy it?"

The house elf glared at the girl with bulging eyes. "Kreacher cannot tell you."

"Then why haven't you smashed it?"

"It will not break no matter what Kreacher tries. It must be opened first."

Blood rushed to Harmony's head as she held the locket and recalled something similar, some vague memory or dream that now chilled and numbed the very hand that held the locket. A great nausea welled in her and urged her to drop the locket. She looked at Kreacher's hardened scowl. "If you tell me the story of this locket, then I will destroy it for you."

Kreacher stared at the girl in disbelief, but his distraught face did not relax as he bowed his head and shuddered, "as you promise, Master".

The story of Regulus Black switching lockets stayed with Harmony all through the night. Each time her eyes closed, Black would be there, dead and so much like Sirius. _You must destroy it! _Or the red eyes of Voldemort would show Kreacher choking on poison. But what was the locket? The locket rested, heavy on her chest and she clenched her hand around it. Whatever it was, she imagined it to be Voldemort, splintered and destroyed. The Black brothers would be avenged.

* * *

Harmony's eyes burned from lying awake all night, and she was not amused with the feet that paced at her door. She had the mind to throw her shoe and yell that she was trying to sleep. When the second pair of feet lingered by she cursed under her breath. It didn't matter that they were Ron and Hermione. They were whispering, not so quietly, in front of her door.

"Should we.." she heard, and Harmony moaned into her pillow.

"But what if..." She clenched her teeth.

"I can hear you!" Harmony said louder than she meant. Just great.

"Harry, please open the door," Hermione said in her worry voice.

"I'm sleeping, bugger off."

"Unless you are sleep talking, then you are definitely awake."

"What ever it is, I'm not in the mood," Harmony traced the snake on the locket and drew the blanket over her head. Unfortunately her ignoring them would not make them go away. Instead they barged in.

"Harry, get up!" Ron said.

"Ron!" Hermione shushed, "good morning Harry." The blanket was pulled from her face.

"Guys, I'm really not in the mood." She was just glad that all of the mouth ridden curtains were drawn.

"Blimey, you look awful," Ron said and Harmony rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Harry, are you OK?" Hermione sat next to her on the bed, and Harmony sat up leaning away.

"I don't want to talk right now," she said and felt the locket pressed on the inside of her shirt. "Sorry." But she didn't feel sorry. In fact, she welcomed a foreign thought that they weren't her friends.

"But Harry, we're your best mates," Ron sat on the floor. She laughed at him. Would they ever leave?

"Seriously," Hermione said, and Harmony cringed. "We are, er, here for you."

"Go ask Dumbledore," Harmony muttered. Hermione placed a hand on hers and Harmony moved further away. "Please."

"Harry," Hermione said and Harmony closed her eyes tight.

"What?" She felt like a cornered animal, poked at with a wand.

"Tell us what happened," she coaxed and Ron nodded happily. Something pricked at Harmony's chest, a cold dread that hung over her.

"We're your best mates," Ron reminded her with a smile, as if nothing had changed. Harmony shook her head and narrowed her eyes. Was Ron always so barmy? "You never have time to talk any more. That's-"

"That's bullocks," Ginny interrupted with the door banging against the wall, "and don't ever blame Harry for not having time, when all you two ever have time for is snogging!"

"Ginny!" Ron reprimanded with a red face. Ginny stepped in further.

"Don't be a bother, for once in your life, Ron." Ginny said, "Let Harry rest."

"This is none of your business," Ron said.

"Why are you two even asking Harry what happened? You've already overheard it from the meeting last night." This time Hermione turned red.

"Wah...Ginny," Hermione muttered, "Harry, it's not like that. Honestly." Hermione continued when Harmony failed to respond, "We just wanted to know, so that we could help." Harmony felt a migraine forming. "Harry, I'm so sorry about Sirius."

"Please," Harmony whispered, too soft for them to hear. She didn't care any more whether she hurt their feelings or not.

"Yeah," Ron supplied, "and we will kick some bloody Malfoy arses."

An unexpected loathing filled her up as she glared at her two friends. "That's enough," she said "get out."

"But Harry," Ron said and Ginny pulled him back.

"You heard Harry," Ginny warned, "leave."

"We'll come again," Hermione said and led Ron out of the room. Ron, still unsure of what to do, frowned. When the door closed behind the two, Harmony let out a breath.

"Shite."

"Harmony, I'm sorry about what happened," Ginny said. Harmony clenched the bed sheets.

"Now's not a good time."

Ginny gave a crooked smile before opening the door to leave. "Harmony, It's not your fault, some things are beyond our control."

"Ginny," Harmony felt her eye lid twitch.

"I'll wait for you," Ginny said before the door separated them.

Harmony brought her knees to her chest and rested her head. What did any of them know? They hadn't been there. It was her fault. She had brought Sirius into that room, and she had been mental enough to kiss Draco. A bittersweet mistake. She licked her dry lips and laughed at how stupid she was. No one in their right mind would love her. No girl or guy. And if they did, they would die from it. It always happened because of her.

Harmony looked down at the ring on her index finger, and watched as a gray and deep blue revolved around her finger. It was a hue so close to his eyes, and she hoped that he was as miserable as her.

* * *

Harmony rested her head against the cool glass of the train, failing to blot out the other occupants in the compartment. Her eyes appeared dark from another sleepless night, and she rubbed them from under her glasses. Going back to Hogwarts had not lightened her spirit. She wished that Ron and Hermione could keep their hands to themselves when they thought that no one was looking. It irked enough that she couldn't muster any warmth for them.

Ginny kept giving her strange looks, and Harmony unconsciously felt for the locket under her shirt. She was a taught string with fraying threads, sooner or later something had to give. She probably could have made it all the way to Hogwarts, if Draco hadn't appeared, that is.

She had not expected to see him, not so soon at least. Draco Malfoy opened the sliding door without so much as a knock and looked passed the distrusting faces of her friends to a very disgruntled looking Harry Potter. Thankfully, she didn't get the urge to stare at his lips and wish for something more. Instead a cool dread permeated through her, and she sat frozen against the glass.

"I need to speak with Harry alone," he told Harmony's friends.

"Like hell you will," Ron spat, "we're not stupid."

"Harry, will you come with me?" he asked and Ron stopped sputtering from how gentle the words were placed. Harmony looked down at the ring that swirled hues of blue and gray. "Please." The colors were changing fast, surging determinedly. She was aware that all eyes watched her every move and her placid facade was dwindling.

"What do you want?" Harmony asked and gripped the padded seat. In the few moments that he did not respond, Harmony felt her stomach clench and unease made her blanch.

"I want to apologize." Harmony turned to the window, and shut her eyes. Why was he doing this? She didn't want to hear any more.

"We should go," Ginny muttered to Hermione and Ron. It looked like Ron had a lot that he wanted to say and do to Malfoy, and it did not matter that the faking liar was apologizing. But the way his sister latched to his arm stopped him. "For Harry."

Harmony had the mind to stop them, to send Draco away, but something inside of her couldn't. She saw passed his reflection and watched the whiteness blur. She did nothing as he sat across from her. "Harmony," he said, "look at me."

Her scar began to prickle as she cast her dark eyes on him.

"I am so sorry," Draco leaned closer to her, "I couldn't help you."

"You let my God father die," she said.

"I didn't know."

"If you hadn't followed me, then he would still be alive." _It's his fault._

"I just wanted to be with you," Draco looked down at his hands.

Harmony crossed her arms, "Why did you kiss me?"

"For the same reason that you kissed me back," he said, and Harmony moved closer to grip the front of his robes.

"You shouldn't." _He's playing with you. _"You don't love me."

He met her eyes, only inches away. "I'm sorry Harmony," he said, and she pushed him away. How could she have been so stupid. _You are unlovable_. "I meant to ask you before." Harmony sat down and regret filled her. What did she expect? It was better this way. She didn't want to be with him, anyway. "Harmony, will you go out with me?"

"Er, what?" Harmony asked, she must have misheard him. He reached for her hand and held it.

"Will you go out with me?" he repeated, and she looked stupidly at him.

"You must be joking," she said. He smiled at her. Two things were clear to her. Draco Malfoy was raving bonkers, and she would be just as mental to say yes. "Why?"

"Because you are the greatest thing that ever happened to me." Harmony shook her head. Now she knew that he was lying.

"Draco," she looked into his gray eyes, "we can't be together." He did not expected that. She withdrew her hand from his.

Now it was his turn to look like he had lost everything. "What? Why not?"

"I can't," she said, "not now." It was like she had slapped him. She could not tell him that she was scared, of all of the doubts and wicked thoughts that were floating in her head. Scared that if she did love someone, it would all fall apart. "Please, go." She put a hand to her forehead and covered her eyes from his searching ones.

"You can't get rid of me so easily," he said and leaned closer so that his legs were brushing against hers. Her body shuddered as he placed a hand on her shoulder, and through the white shirt, she felt his warmth. She couldn't understand how he could do all of this, as she looked like Harry Potter and had just rejected him. His hand went to her neck, and she was reminded of the last time they were alone in a train compartment. He was closer than before, and he brushed the inside of her shirt before pulling out the locket.

Draco didn't look at her as he gripped it. "This isn't the necklace I gave you," he said and let the locket drop against her chest. Harmony didn't say anything as he stood and slid open the door. "I'll change your mind," he said before leaving.

Necklace? Harmony recalled the velvet pouch that Draco had given to her before she left Hogwarts. She had thoughtlessly stuffed it into her bag. She searched for it now, going through the sack that was under her seat. She took the small black pouch and emptied it onto her palm.

It was a white dragon with an eye of sapphire that swirled like mercury. The door opened once more and she half expected it to be Draco. Ginny, Ron and Hermione slipped in, and Harmony stuffed the dragon back into her bag. "He didn't do anything to you, right Harry?" Ron asked.

Except ask her out, nothing out of the ordinary. "I'm fine," Harmony said, and turned to the window.

Ginny watched her closely and spied the locket. "What is that?" she pointed.

Harmony felt the locket and hid it under her shirt. "It's nothing." She ignored Ginny's searching eyes and returned to the window, glad that the white could blind her from her very thoughts.

* * *

End of chapter 21


	22. Chapter 22 Misbegotten

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaimiarmous - "Ah ho ho ho ho," I laugh, if only there was no copyright, then Draco would be mine. JK, he's all yours!

**Chapter 22 the Misbegotten**

* * *

The rest of the holiday Draco spent at Hogwarts was alone and terribly boring. He had never suffered his own company before, and it was the first time that he even questioned what it meant to be a Malfoy. All the years that he had been so proud. He didn't feel any better than everybody, in fact he felt dreadful. He had hurt Harmony. She hadn't even looked at him when she boarded the train.

Draco looked at the ring that wove dark swirling blues around his finger. He didn't want it to be over. He couldn't give her up. Wouldn't. He had to find out why his father had taken the tiara. Then surely she would trust him.

The moment that the dungeon lights extinguished, Draco knew that Professor Snape had returned. Outside Snape's office, Draco rapped swiftly on the frame and entered. "Professor," he said, "may I have a word?" It didn't mater that Snape still wore his traveling cloak, or that the man was overdue on his lunch.

"And of what grave importance is this, that I cannot even have a second to myself since arriving?" Snape muttered while picking at his black cloak.

"My apologies," Draco said "But can you tell me how Harmony is faring?"

Snape deliberately took a long pause before shuffling some F marked papers on his desk and putting away his suitcase. "Oh yes, I did see her, didn't I," Snape mussed.

"Is she alright?" Draco asked.

"Potter is perfectly miserable," Snape said, "what do you expect, Draco?"

"Professor, I don't want her to be angry at me."

"That's not my problem," Snape said.

"If I can find out why my father was at Hogwarts, then maybe she can forgive me."

"Your father was here on ministry business," Snape started, but frowned when he met Draco's impatient huff. "Knowing is too dangerous for you and your family."

"So you do know," Draco said, "but what? You can't tell me."

"How much are you willing to risk for this girl, Draco?" Snape's calculating look stopped Draco from answering too lightly. What were the lengths that he would go for another chance? For another kiss?

"I have already put my family and myself at risk, Professor. There's not much more that I can lose."

"There's so much Draco, for you to lose." Snape looked down at him and sneered. "Would you give up your family? Betray them?"

"I don't know," Draco said. Snape's eyes were unwavering.

"What of your life?"

Draco did not answer at first, but balled his fists. "Never mind. I'm not some stupid Gryffindor. I can see that you are mocking me." Draco turned to leave, but stopped when he felt something at his wrist. Snape had his own arm out, the dark mark marring white skin.

"Would you risk everything to make sure that she lived?"

"Sir?"

"Would you?" Snape almost yelled. The Dark mark, which he had seen most of his life, now settled with revulsion. Draco grit his teeth.

"I will do anything to be with Harmony." Snape's eyes widened, as if he had not expected to see the truth so plainly in Draco's eyes.

"I see," Snape said softly. How could he deny Draco after that? "But remember, you are playing a dangerous card." Snape motioned for Draco to sit, and Draco sat upright with his hands in his lap. "The Dark Lord has not yet been completely restored to his body. He is alive, but is missing something dear." Snape paused, hoping that Draco would not ask what.

"What was missing?" Snape looked pointedly at Draco. No way was he going to utter the Dark Lord's unmentionables.

"The Dark Lord's revival went awry, and now his body is incomplete. He believes that if he reclaims the fragments of his soul, then his body will be whole again." Draco could tell that the older man was withholding something from him.

"So, you're saying that the tiara was part of the Dark Lord's soul?" Snape nodded his head. "That's mental. So if parts of the Dark Lord's soul are destroyed, then he will never be fully restored, right?"

"Some are already gone, but with each one the Dark Lord possesses, a part of his lost humanity is restored."

"And that's a bad thing?" Draco muttered, and ceased to mention the Dark Lord's insanity anymore, from Snape's furrowed eyebrows creating a hairy caterpillar. "Wouldn't it be like the Dark Lord is partially kissed from a dementor? If he only had pieces of his soul."

"It is hard to say, none have attempted to split their soul so many times."

"Why did he do it?" Draco asked.

"For the reasons he always desires. I must stop here, Draco, I fear that I have said too much already. I trust that you will not blab this around and most certainly get killed for doing so, right?"

"Yes of course Sir." Draco stood, but before he stepped away, he could make out the bags under the man's eyes and just how hollow the man appeared. "Thank you," Draco said and left, realizing that Snape had just risked it all by telling him the truth.

"Don't disappoint me." Draco heard before closing the door.

* * *

The anticipation of seeing Harmony, set Draco into something of a nervousness which he was not used to. His stomach turned as the train halted to admit the students on the platform. He took out his pocket mirror, to recheck that everything was in place. Draco gave himself a dashing smile before it snapped with a click, as footsteps began to pass his compartment. The silence of the train was soon replaced with chatter and laughter and Draco sat alone in his compartment.

As soon as the train whistled and lurched forward, Draco made his move. He sidestepped the stragglers and their bags without so much as a snide comment. His eyes strayed from glass window, to glass window feeling his excitement heighten, till finally something hitched in his throat as he saw the back of her head. He knew it so well, from all the times he had burned holes into it with his eyes when he was so young and petulant.

He took a quick step back, to gather himself and check to see that everything about him was dishy and enticing. It was. Without a second thought, Draco slid open the door, and meet the green behind the spectacles. The intrusion set off an uncomfortably silence as Harmony's friends gaped at him.

"I need to speak with Harry alone," he said as he watched her boyish face glare at him.

"Like hell you will," a red eye sore said, "we're not stupid."

"Harry, will you come with me?" Draco asked pleasantly, considering that he had passed up a perfect chance to rebuke Weasley's claim of him not being stupid. "Please." She looked down at her lap and Draco had to stop himself from lifting up her chin. It didn't matter that she looked like Harry Potter.

"What do you want?" Harmony asked, and Draco allowed the reality of her anger to wash over him and pass. He gave her a small smile, and though it wasn't the dashing ones he had been practicing for, it had to suffice.

"I want to apologize." She looked away from him, and Draco tried not to get discouraged. He barely heard Ginny telling the others to leave, but he didn't miss her warning look. Don't mess this up.

Draco sat across from her and still the girl stared out determinedly at the white scenery. "Harmony," he said, "look at me." He hadn't expect her to look at him like they still hated each other. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help you." Draco wanted to get closer to her, but her eyes stopped him.

"You let my god father die," Harmony said. Draco closed his eyes tightly.

"I didn't know."

"If you hadn't followed me, then he would still be alive."

"I just wanted to be with you," Draco could no longer hold the accusation in her eyes. He had to show her that he cared.

"Why did you kiss me?" Harmony said softly.

"For the same reason that you kissed me back." She latched at his front robes, and not in the way he wished. Her small hands clasped tightly around the material and her eyes were mere inches from his own.

"You shouldn't," she whispered, "you don't love me."

The part of his mind that didn't care about reason wanted to shout yes, but Draco instead said, "I'm sorry." He didn't want to reveal something so heavy without tact. His robes slipped from her hands and she took a step back. "I meant to ask you before." Draco wasn't going to lose her now. She sat down and looked away from him. "Harmony, will you go out with me?"

"Er, what?" she asked and really looked at him. He gave her the dashing smile that he knew could win any girl. He reached for her hand and even though she dressed like Potter, she couldn't hide the subtle details that everybody but him would have overlooked.

"Will you go out with me?" he asked once more and enjoyed the bewilderment in her eyes.

"You must be joking," she said. His smile grew wider and he almost had to stop himself from bringing her closer. "Why?"

"Because you are the greatest thing that ever happened to me." She shook her head and a wistful smile graced her lips.

"Draco," she said, and he looked into her green eyes. "We can't be together." The words didn't match up in his head. He let her hand go as the rejection hit him.

"What," he said, feeling the hurt steal away his happiness, "why not?"

"I can't," she said, "not now." What, did she want him to wait for her like a nice little dog? "Please go." This was all wrong, just humiliating.

"You can't get rid of me so easily," Draco said, hurt and anger overpowering him. He leaned closer to her, grazing her leg against his own and feeling her body falter from his light touch. He trailed a hand up from her wrist to her shoulder where he could feel the warmth from the exposed skin of her neck. He watched her green eyes the entire time as they widened and watched him intently. He moved closer yet as she pressed her back into thick padding. His hand brushed the inside of her shirt as he finally felt what he sought. He pulled out the chain of a locket, and felt the final blow of her turning him down. He didn't look at her as anger swept through him. "This isn't the necklace I gave you," he said and dropped the locket against her chest.

Draco moved away from her. He yanked the sliding door open and looked down at her as if he was about to challenge her to a fight. "I'll change your mind," he said and closed the door before the pain could show on his face.

He couldn't believe it. The rejection hurt more than the first. It was unfathomable, and twice by the same person. Bloody Potter! Draco made his way back to his compartment in silent fury.

Alone again, Draco fisted the robes where Harmony had gripped not five minutes ago. Draco hit the green padded seat with the bottom of his fist. How could she? He had poured out his heart only for her to trample on. He hadn't done anything wrong.

Was everything he had done all for nothing? Maybe he did have to lose everything to be with Potter. He put his hands through his immaculate hair and cursed aloud.

Draco was done playing nice.

* * *

end of chapter 22

Wrote pretty much all of this in less than a day. Cheers.


	23. Chapter 23 the Mind Games

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaimerio- Not mine.

This month I am doing NaNoWriMo, and guess what? Yep, I am writing this fanfic. So excuse the spelling mistakes and other nonsense, I'll go back and fix it in December. Let's see if I can write 50,000 this November. :D

**Chapter 23 the Mind Games**

* * *

Draco watched Snape from across the room in feigned interest, while well aware of the occupant sharing his desk. He had not spoken a word to Harmony for the five days since classes resumed. Draco kept his face impassive whenever the girl glared at him, and he was beginning to believe that her lips would be permanently pressed in a tight line.

Something was different about Harmony. She had dark circles under her eyes, and Draco could not rid of the guilt that Sirius's death was haunting her this much. She had clearly not forgiven him, and it made wooing her all the more challenging. The last thing he expected as their ignoring each other progressed was for her to slide him a folded note. He hid his smile between tight lips as he watched her from the corner of his eye, bent over an open book.

He slipped it between his fingers and waited a good minute before unfolding the parchment. It was foolish thinking to hope, and Draco didn't allow a smidgen to show. It read:

_Cub, meet me tonight at my den. Party animals optional. -Honey Dukes._

Draco had to stop his hand from crumpling Leighton's note. The letter was absurd, and he could not believe that Leighton was still calling her Cub. He had a mind not to go. That obnoxious bear! She was not his to call cub. Draco noticed that she watching him, and he pulled out his quill to scribble on the parchment that he would be there. After that, Harmony retreated back into herself, and Draco watched the black figure of Snape. When class ended, Draco went alone. His slytherine mates wanted nothing to do with him, and Draco muttered that he could care less. He didn't need them either.

Draco skipped dinner and waited at the spot that he and Harmony usually met up before Leighton's lessons begun. He needed to talk to her, and tel her about the tiara. He hoped that if he was the one to tell her why Sirius died, then she would forgive him. It was not like she could mourn forever.

Ginny was the first to pass through, and Draco had not even the time to acknowledge her when she gripped his arms and pushed him back. "Draco," she whispered, "what are you doing to Harmony? She is even worse!"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"Harmony has stopped eating, she's moved out of the boy's dormitory, probably not even sleeping, and lastly, she's shut herself from everybody. What did you say to her?"

Draco pushed Ginny away. "Nothing," he said, "and Harmony couldn't care less about me."

"Sure," Ginny shook her head, "Look, It is not my business if you end up happy or not, but with Harmony, it becomes my business, and as impossible as it seems, she's opened up to you, Draco." Ginny closed her eyes, before allowing her emotions to go to far. "Don't let your pride get in the way."

"It's not me," Draco countered, "something's changed with her." Ginny looked at him closely and stepped away.

"Then help me find out what is wrong." She turned her head as Harmony came with a trailing Luna. Harmony looked as she always did, like a disgruntled 13 year old boy. Sometimes forgetting is easier. She passed them without a word, and went straight to Leighton's door. When the door opened, a girl stepped through, and Draco's heart twisted. There was no hiding misery. Inside the room, none of the students bothered with any small talk. Not with Harmony and her tight lips and crossed arms.

Leighton smartly chose not to go after them with battle axes, and instead greeted them from atop his desk. He sat with his legs hanging over the mahogany wooden frame and his elbows on his knees. "Come, come, don't be shy." Leighton jumped to the floor and looked at them closely.

"Hello professor," Luna said, "have a good break?" Leighton smiled at her and ambled closer.

"Call me Honey Dukes, and yes, it was peaceful." He looked at the others, expectantly. Harmony grumbled into her scarf, and Draco and Ginny shrugged their shoulders. "That bad huh." Harmony gave him a cross glare, and Leighton smiled pleasantly back. "Perfect then."

Draco joined Harmony at glaring at Leighton. There was nothing perfect right then. "We will work on the healing arts, seeing how there is so much inflicting, and yet so little mending." Draco hoped that this wouldn't be a long lecture on how important healing was. "Take a seat younglings," Leighton said while pointing to the cushioned floors. He sat with them in circle and all at once, the room dimmed.

"You have all lost something this break, and I hope that it does not become irrevocable. Pain comes in many forms, but no matter how small or large pain seems, it is only a moments agony. Pain will pass, if you let it go. Now, where does the solution reside in most venoms?"

Damn, a lecture. Draco took in a deep breath, thinking about potions class. Snape went on and on about poisons. Every day. Every class. He practically breathed the word venom, with it dripping from his mouth.

"Yes Dash?" Leighton said.

"From the source," Luna said.

"Very good," Leighton said, "from the venom, there is the antidote. The solution resides in the pain that you are suffering from. In nature spiders, snakes, insects, magical fey, plants, and platupus venom have the antidote within. Every curse has a counter spell. With anything that inflicts pain, their is a way to heal. What we need to learn is how not to allow the pain to posses us." Leighton pulled from his robes a jar of clear liquid and opened it. He passed it to Ginny who sat next to him. " What you hold is a dragon's venom that could kill you a thousand times over. Get it on your skin, and it will corrode to the bone. Now why would I show you such a beauty?"

Because you're crazy. Draco eyed the water like venom when Luna placed it into his hands. Anyone could slip it in a drink, and poison someone. It would happen so fast. "Draco," Leighton said, "it seems like you know why."

"The poisons that are odorless, tasteless, and inconspicuous are the most treacherous," Draco said, still wanting to add that Leighton was raving bonkers to have a jar of that stuff in his cloak. It was certainly illegal.

"Yes, so pain caused by betrayal is almost always harder to get over." Draco bit his tongue, realizing just why the older man picked on him. Draco glanced at Harmony. Her eyes were downcast, staring into the jar that was so seemingly innocuous.

"How would we ever be able to overcome those kinds of venom?" Ginny asked. "It would kill us instantly."

"At the moment of life and death, those few seconds before everything is lost are the most important. If you can not produce the antidote, then at least you can preform a spell to slow the poison, or slow the heart. Healing as well as pain comes in many forms. In a battle, we can not always rely on a mediwizzard. So, who wants a taste?"

Draco closed his eyes, and imagined himself shoving the venom in Leighton's stupid face. He opened his eyes, realizing that this could be a test. The others were looking at Leighton oddly, and Draco wondered if one of the Gryffindor saints would volunteer. Bless their souls. Draco looked at Harmony, realizing that she would be the one suicidal enough. Draco felt his arm twitch. He couldn't allow that. Draco could feel the sweat begin to bead on his forehead. Leighton, the turd, was still smiling. His hand was moving, and Draco marveled at its progress. One inch, two inches, it almost left his lap. See, he wasn't a coward, his hand was nearly to his neck. There was still time for Draco to pass his hand off as fixing his hair, but Draco ignored his self preservation. This was for Harmony.

"Draco," Leighton looked at him in surprise, "I was joking. You all need to lighten up. Laughter is a cure." Draco felt his hand fall, and then fist in annoyance. Damn him. "Letting go of pain, is also a mind exercise. You have to train yourself. We will go over the base line basics on what to do when we find a wizard down and not breathing. Spells that will facilitate breathing, regulating temperature, and pumping blood to the heart. Then we will go over some advanced spells that mend bones, stitch lacerations, slow the heart, and those that keep an unbeating heart alive. Lastly we will go over potions that will put a 'stopper to death'. Any questions?" Leighton watched them expectantly. "None, alright, let's begin."

The lesson went smooth enough after that, except when leighton pulled out his jar of dragon venom and started drinking from it. They half expected him to drop dead, but when he titled the rest down, Draco's hopes dashed away. The man was very much alive. When nothing still happened, Leighton noticed their pointed stares.

"Oh, this," he held the empty jar up, "it's just distilled H2O." Draco was not impressed with what all of his fancy liquids were. He was glad though when the lesson was over. Draco was nearly out the door when he saw that Harmony had stayed back with Leighton. Ginny turned as well, before grabbing him and Luna and pushing them out the door.

"What are you doing?" Draco whispered with indignation. No Malfoy was treated as such.

"Shh, just wait." Ginny closed the door, and went through her robes before taking out an elongated ear.

"The Hell?" Draco muttered as he watched the red head put her ear to it and the crack at the floor. "Are you eaves dropping?" Draco dropped to one knee, knowing that he was taking a foreign liking to the Weaslyleet.

"I think you better hear this." Draco got closer, while Luna poked the extened earlobe.

"Ginny, have you ever thought of putting earrings through this?" Luna asked.

"Er, not really." It was Draco's turn to shush them.

"Leighton," Harmony's voice was soft and tickled him, as if she was whispering in his ear. "do you know a lot about dark objects?" Draco heard Leightion's rough laugh.

"Of course," he said, "I am the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"I need to destroy this," she said, and Draco could hear clothes being ruffled. "But I do not know how." Draco put his eye against the key hole, and saw Harmony sitting in front of Leigthon. Immediately Draco bristled. She was close to him, not even a foot away. She held up a chain for him, to which he was about to touch, but stopped.

"Where did you get this?" Leighton asked, his voice deeper.

"A house elf gave it to me to destroy. He said that it was his last order before his master died. It won't break, no matter what spell I use." Draco was shoved sideways, and Draco glared at the red head who had stolen his perch. He took back his though of strangely liking her.

"There is so much negative energy in that necklace, you shouldn't wear it too long." Draco frowned at the two girls occupying his space, because now he couldn't see what Leighton was pulling.

"I'm going in there," Draco said, refusing to be in the side lines, "and you should too, if you care about her so much." Ginny shot him a glare before stuffing the ear into her robe pocket.

"You need to learn patience," Ginny huffed at him, "do you honestly think that Harmony will be happy if you storm in there?"

"It doesn't matter! Everything I do, drives her up the castle wall. I want to know what is wrong." Ginny was about to open her mouth, when Luna caught her shoulder.

"I think he's right," Luna said, "she could use our help now." Ginny scowled at Draco before turning the knob.

"You better be right," she said and stepped through the room. The smile that Draco detested was gone from Leighton, and Harmony stuffed her hands in her robe pockets.

"Your friends are worried about you," Leighton remarked, "and for good reason too."

"Guys I am fine," Harmony grumbled. Leighton still had his eyes on Harmony, and Draco could see that he cared for her.

"It's the locket, isn't it?" Ginny asked. "I noticed it before, that suffocating feeling." Ginny came closer and held out her hand. "Let me see it." Harmony hesitated a moment before relieving the locket from her robe. Ginny closed her eyes when the locket touched her palm and shuddered. "Oh."

"What is is?" Luna asked her.

"It's just like that diary." Draco sat near Harmony and watched as her face imperceptibly softened.

"Diary?" Harmony's eyebrows nit together in thought.

"Yes, Tom's," Ginny almost whispered, "in my fist year." Harmony's eyes widened as unseen memories played behind her eyes. Draco did not know what any of that meant, but he shivered as Harmony whispered Voldemort's name. Harmony put a hand to her scar and shut her eyes.

"But what is it?" Harmony asked and looked at the locket. "It was Tom Riddle's diary, when Voldemort went to this school. It's not the same as the locket." Draco looked at Leighton and saw the man's grave face. Leighton knew what it was.

"It's part of the Dark Lord's soul," Draco said, and they turned to him, "and it's the reason, Harmony, why your God Father died."

"What are you talking about?" Harmony asked. It was the first thing she had said to him since he had asked her out.

"The Dark Lord severed his soul, and placed the pieces into different objects. It could be in anything, in a locket, in a diary, or even a tiara." Draco regarded the misery in those green eyes, and felt an ache inside. "My father was ordered to retrieve a tiara in Hogwarts and wanted to bring me back. I'm sorry that you lost your family," Draco finished, and Harmony looked down at her hands.

"Why is he retrieving them?" Ginny asked. They were all seated on the padded floor

"To become complete," Draco said, "because his resurrection went awry."

"And how does one split the soul?" Luna asked.

"By the foulest act of dark magic," Leighton said, "an act of such evil, it is a violation of nature."

"Murder," Harmony gripped her robes and Leighton nodded.

"Then wouldn't it be good if the Dark Lord retrieves his soul?" Luna asked.

"Yes, but only if it was so simple," Leighton said and pushed back his short hair. "He would have to repent for all of his acts of evil in order to become whole again, and I doubt that he could."

"Maybe there is another way," Draco said, "or, if not, he will create one."

"Perhaps," Leighton said, "but for now, that is for the Dark Lord to figure out."

"But why would someone do that?" Ginny asked him with the locket shaking in her hands as if it could lash out and kill.

Leighton's mouth remained closed, and as he tilted his head, a shadow covered his eyes. "It's something that should never exist. It will grant you immortality, but it will also seal your damnation."

"What is it called?" Harmony asked in a soft tone.

"It is a Horcrux," Leighton said, "and don't think that it is only your burden to bear." Harmony bit her bottom lip, and shrugged her shoulders. "It would be foolish to try to destroy it by yourself. There could be irrevocable damage."

"Let me hold on to it for a while," Draco said, "you need a break from a demented soul." Ginny gripped it tighter and held it to her chest.

"No, I will," Ginny said and already had it to her face.

"Let's take turns," Luna said, "till we figure out how to destroy it." There was a ghost of a smile on Harmony's lips.

"We already know how to destroy it, right Ginny." Ginny leaned closer to the girl and held Harmony's hand.

"As I recall, I was out cold, thank you very much," Ginny pursed her lips, "but this time will be different."

"Yeah," Harmony mumbled.

"When will we be the date?" Luna asked.

"It's best if you wait a bit, Cub," Leighton said, "till you heal your heart." Draco twitched over a certain word and glared at him.

"Would you stop calling her that!" he spat.

"Look, Frisker doesn't even need the locket," a wide smile filled the insufferable arse's face. The man held out his hands in a placating gesture when Draco glared. "It's a joke, lighten up."

"It's a terrible name," Draco crossed his arms, "and don't call her that."

"If it's a problem for you," Leighton continued to smile, "then you come up with a better one."

"What?" Harmony grumbled, "shouldn't I be the one to decide what I want to be called?"

"Fine," Draco said, and narrowed his eyes when Leighton chucked to himself.

"But you have to call me Honey Dukes then," Draco had to stop himself from gaping at the man, but something else happened even more expectantly. Harmony was smiling and soon Draco was chuckling too.

"Alright _Honey_ Dukes," Draco said with words dripping like sugar, "you're on."

* * *

As it turned out, Ginny couldn't have the locket longer than two days before the girl started going ape shite on everyone. When she had over heard Ron tell Hermione that he thought this was the worse he had ever seen her PMS, two women had him glued and hexed, and Ron learned the hard way about female related tact. Luna on the other hand, was immediately crossed out from locket bearer. The moment it hung around her neck, her eyes rolled back and she went into a trance. In fact, when her mouth opened, she began to prophesize. "_The Dark Lord anguishes, seeking more than your blood. He will steal everything from you. Death is at knife point, waiting to carve out your heart. The Dark Lord anguishes, seeking…seeking…seeking…_" Harmony jumped when she heard that, remembering those same words from Trelawny, right before she had switched into magical fitness. Ginny, Draco, and Harmony stared at the girl when the locket was safely removed. "Well," Luna said, "that was certainly peculiar."

"It's your turn," Ginny said. Draco was the only one left who had not worn the locket, and he ignored their worried glances. What? Did they expect him to become a death eater with it on? Was he going to go Potter hunting? Probably. Draco slipped it over his head, and though it was an uncomfortably heavy weight, Draco didn't bat an eye. He smiled at them.

"See," he said, "it's not so bad." They shrugged their shoulders, and it seemed true, at least for the first day. The night that he slept with it resting on his chest, he began to feel something odd and invasive in his sleep. His dreams were of Harmony as a girl, and though that would have made him happy, it was not he who was kissing her. Leighton took his place, and had Harmony against his bare chest. The image seared into his mind, and Draco felt his blood boil till he finally awoke. Draco lashed out at his covers and went straight to the loo to wash his face. But still the images continued. He could see Harmony and her eyes heated with desire. It didn't help either that Leighton was more fit than him. Her hands had trailed down his toned back and through his hair. He could almost see the smirk and golden glint in the other man's eyes. Draco wanted to retch the terrible feeling out of him, and the way she had looked at him. Draco gripped the locket, pressing the snake into his palm. He wanted her, wanted her to look at him like that.

When Draco returned to his bed, he stared at the ceiling of his bed post, unable to close his eyes without seeing them together again. When light seeped through the drawn curtain, Draco gave up the idea of sleep and changed to go fly. On a broom, Draco could forget. He could allow the wind to sweep him away and the cold to numb him. As he swerved by the bleachers, Draco flattened himself and became a black streak against the dawn. He closed his eyes, and did not allow fear to cloud him. A faint mist swirled around him and Draco slowed his pace. As his breaths came in short films of vapor, Draco lifted his head to watch the pinks melt into oranges over the horizon.

Reality slowly returned. Draco did not feel excited about his upcoming match with the Hufflepuffs. Not when he no longer had a team to watch his back. Plus, the Hufflepuffs were so easy without Cedric. Cho Chang was hardly any competition either. Would catching the snitch even impress her? He doubted it. Draco touched the ground with his foot and dismounted. He followed his white foot prints back to Hogwarts.

He thought that he could lock away the image of Harmony and Leighton, but his mind thought otherwise. At the worst times, Harmony would be pressed against him and Draco would snap a quill or hex the nearest thing. When at last he saw Harmony, even as a boy, Draco wanted to push her against a wall and claim her lips as his. He would make sure that Leighton would never cross her mind. It took all of Draco's self control not to corner her, and even more control to stop worse thoughts from making him violent. He trailed behind Harmony with a scrowl itching his face. He did not have to worry about the Slytherins bothering him, because they very well knew what a cross Draco could do.

Draco did not want to go to Defense Against the Dark Arts class. When he stepped onto the blue and red padding, he immediately regretted it. Leighton was as infuriating as ever. Draco wished that he had some hippogryph shat to throw at the man, anything that would cover his honey eyes and grinning face. Then he really would be a shite headed git. The windows shut on their own accord and the torch light dimmed.

"Alright," Leighton smiled, "I hope you are all in a good mood because we will be thinking happy thoughts today." Draco frowned at the older man, already anticipating something horrid. "As I have been told, two years prior there were dementors on school grounds. I would think that you all are informed of what a dementor is capable of. Now, knowing the spell that repels dementors could very well save your soul, but I am surprised that only a handful of students have learned how to do it. So do any of you know the name of the spell?" Leighton asked them.

Harmony knew how. Third year was the time that he had been a complete arse to her about the dementors. It was not a cherished memory as it had been before, and Draco hoped that she wasn't thinking about it now. Granger had her hand up and Leighton called her name.

"The Patronus chram," she said in a clear voice.

"Yes," Leighton said, and from his wand a clear mist in the shape of a bear barreled through the class. "This week we will begin the basics of the patronus charm." The bear circled the students head before dissipating into the ceiling. "Dementors feed on the positive feelings of their victims, sucking out all the happiness till they devour the soul. To counter this, a patrounus charm is a person's happy thought, memory, of feeling that cannot be taken away from the dementor and instead, dispells them. For those of you who already know the patronus, you can help the other students or work on a different project. Now I want you all to concentrate on the happiest thought that you can, something that fills you with endless joy. That is the most essential part of the spell."

Draco made his way to a far corner and sat down glaring at the wall. After the first minute which he was cursing profusely under his breath, Draco attempted to find his happiest thought and found out that he was failing miserably to do so. He half heatedly pictured winning the quidditch tournament, but realized that he never had done so. Next he tried the joy of catching the snitch and frowned once again. He needed something bigger. His family would have been the ideal choice, except that his recent dispute with his father did not help. He knew he was just stalling about thinking about Harmony, because his happiest memory had been kissing her. But when Draco did think of that, the dream came back to haunt him. The harder he he focused on the memory, the worse the image of Leighton and Harmony played before him. Draco growled in frustration when he could no longer bear it. He felt hurt, as if Leighton had defeated him in his own mind.

Draco turned his head and watched the other students. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were spread out through the room, and he saw that most of the lot had constipated looks. "Professor,"

Dean asked, "what is your happiest memory?" Leighton grinned back at the boy.

"Well, it depends if I'm hungry or not. If I am, then I imagine the finest honey dukes candies. If I am not, then I imagine a happier world. Any way, does any one want to share their happiest thought?" A lone hand greeted Leighton after a few moments.

"It's a very simple one," Ron said, "marrying the girl I love." Some of the Slytherins began to snicker, but Ron beamed past that staring at a blushing Hermione. Draco wanted to gag, and hex the stupid git.

"Thank you Ronald," Leighton said. For the remainder of class, Draco tried not to think. He didn't pay attention to what the other students were happy about. Once Leighton ended class, Draco was out the door and pushing past the others.

He was so immersed in his own mind that when he felt a tug at his robes, he was caught off guard. He couldn't believe that he was staring at Harmony. He would have attempted a smile if the other students weren't lingering around them. "What is it Potter?" he said in a tone harsher than he meant. She looked better than before. She had obviously slept and did not look so down.

"Er," she said, realizing that it wasn't such a good idea to talk in the middle of the hall, "are you OK?"

"Just dandy," Draco said in a flat tone.

"Because if you need to, I can take it back." Draco wondered how Harmony had become so selfless. She must have gone through Hell, wearing that locket for a week. He took some comfort in knowing that wearing the locket was helping her.

"I'm fine," he said, "really."

"Alright," Harmony mumbled, "if you say so." Draco looked at her for a second longer and turned to leave. He gripped the locket as his thoughts turned worse. He was losing her. She didn't need him. Why would she, when she had someone like Leighton? No. He erased those thoughts. Draco would make her fall for him. Anything less was not an option.

Draco put his book bag onto the desk in his room and sat on his bed. He could see his reflection from where he sat, and knew that it was an understatement to say that he was easy on the eyes. There was nothing not to like. And his muscles were quite defined considering that the only sport at Hogwarts was sitting on a broom.

He frowned, wondering how to sneak his way into her heart. She had said on the train that she was not ready to be in a relationship, but Draco wasn't known to be very patient. He wanted her to fall for him hard. There must be something to get her to notice him. Would making her jealous do the trick? If anything it would make her regret ever saying no to him. He sneered as he thought of Cho Chang, the girl that Harmony had so obviously liked when she had been a boy. She was pretty enough and would easily fall for him. All he had to do was smile and tell her how bad he felt for her about Cedric. Then Draco would plant revenge in her heart, and tell her he would be there for her. It would be so easy, and it brought a sick kind of satisfaction if it was Cho Chang, the girl that Potter didn't get.

But it wasn't what he really wanted. Draco shook his head, and lifted the locket from his neck. Draco didn't want to settle for less, and in no way did he desire to hurt her. Making her jealous would not cause her to fall for him. No, he needed something else.

He smirked when something came to him that even Salazar would have approved of. That night Draco slept with the locket shoved and locked in a suitcase that only opened to his voice with the password that he only knew. He wasn't going to risk another sleepless night with the possibility of Leighton and Harmony getting it on. Like Hell he would be foolish enough to torture himself so.

When he awoke, he was determined to not let the locket get the best of him. He had more important things to worry about.

* * *

end of Ch 23, and on to the next one


	24. Chapter 24 Miscalculation

**Harmony Lives**

Disclaimio: I do not own Draco Malfoy, otherwise I would do terrible things to him. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

Yes, I completed Nanowrimo, and I wrote 50,000 words for this story (mind you, only 45,000 words are salvageable). I am practically at the end, and I had so much fun writing it...most of the time. Enjoy reading.

**Chapter 24 the Miscalculation **

* * *

Harmony rested on her bed, and closed her eyes in peace. She did not have to worry about her Gryffindor mates seeing her as a girl anymore, since Proffesor McGonagal had gladly given her an unused room in the common rooms. Harmony had it constantly locked, and wondered why she hadn't gotten her own room earlier. Ron and the others did not protest her removal, because it had been the time during which she had the temperament of a raging Snape.

The room was small, much like the size of her room at the Dursleys. It was the color of sand paper with one lone window with the Quidditch field in view. There was the standard desk and bed that she was used to, and to Harmony, it was perfect. She had laid out her meager possessions on the desk and knew that she had to do something with the bare wall.

She felt better now that the oppression had gone. As Leighton had said, she was letting go of her pain. Without the locket, she could think her own thoughts and did not relive Sirius's death each night. She looked down at the ring that connected her to Draco's emotions. This morning made it the third day since he wore the locket, and Harmony had noticed the glint in his eye when she had seen him in the dinning hall. The colors on their conjoined ring swirled a deep wine color. It was much different than the first few days when it was a shade of dark blue.

She had been ignoring him as much as she could, but she didn't know what to do about him. Those words on the train that he would make her change her mind hadn't left her. She wouldn't have been so worried about what those words meant, if it was anyone but him. Like it was inevitable. Harmony bit her lip, hoping that he wasn't planning anything. It was worse than a threat.

Harmony stretched her body, knowing that she had Magical Fitness class soon. They were going rock climbing today and had the wall transfigured into a cliff side. At least it was something that she could take her mind off of Draco.

She transfigured her face before leaving the room and adorned her glasses on her nose. She saw Ron from across the room, but didn't join him on his way to Divinations. She wasn't quite sure why she was ducking her head, but she figured that this would be easier for the both of them for now. She knew that he felt just as bad and unsure about their friendship, and Harmony didn't want to screw whatever left there was. Harmony was sure that once everything stabilized in her life, then she could fit Ron and Hermione somewhere.

Harmony walked alone in the halls to the gym, trying to blend into the walls. She wanted to be unseen and unknown. When she opened the door to the changing room, it didn't help that the someone was already there, opposite to her locker.

Harmony's mouth opened as Draco began to lift his shirt over his head, as if he had planned it so that she would walk in at that right moment.

"Wha- What are you doing?" Harmony faltered as she watched the progress of his shirt exposing more and more skin. His shirt was nearly off as he began to turn to her, so that now she could see the full expanse of his chest. She didn't know why she was staring, since she had seen many of her mates with less on, but this caught her completely off guard. With his shirt off, Harmony noticed his smirk next.

"Changing," he said simply, "in the boys' locker room."

"Yes," she said, "I can see that. But why are you here now?" Harmony walked closer and dropped her book bag to the floor. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Draco as he began to fold his shirt. She couldn't help but look, and who wouldn't? He had a lithe and well toned body that wasn't grossly muscular. It was a stomach that she could slowly trace abs and muscles, as she followed her way down to the edge of what must have been his boxers. She trailed her eyes up, passed the snake of his locket.

"Well, I have a free period now, and I figured that I could use the weight room. Is there something wrong?" He placed his shirt in his newly claimed locker and smiled not so innocently down at her. Harmony narrowed her eyes and gulped, knowing that her face was heating up.

"You know very well what is wrong," Harmony said, forcing her eyes not on his chest and at his face. "I can't change with you here." Draco's face lifted as he thought of the implication to what she just said.

"Well," Draco smirked, "considering that we're two_ boys_, I don't see what the fuss is all about."

"I'm not a boy," Harmony blushed, pointing to her face which she changed at will.

"Then do you want to go to the girl's changing room?" Draco smirked.

"No," Harmony said, "I want you to leave."

"Sorry, I guess you're just going to have to wait." Damn him, she thought and slammed her locker open. Either she was going to have to walk all the way to her room to get dressed, or wait for him there to change and leave. But Harmony wasn't just going to allow Draco get the best of her and be late. She began to unbutton the first of many layers and shoved her black school robes into her locker. She dropped her glasses on her gym clothes, and grabbed the hem of her gray vest and started to unceremoniously pull it over her head. She nearly ripped off her tie, and when she got to her white collared shirt, she paused before beginning to unbutton that as well.

With her shirt front open and her back to him, Harmony pulled off her shirt. She knew that he must have been staring, but it was only her back that he was seeing. It hardly mattered if a few bra straps were showing. Harmony quickly pulled on a tank top and an over sized gray shirt before kicking off her shoes and starting on her pants. She had them off and replaced with a pair of black shorts in a few seconds and shoved all of her clothes in her locker. She slammed the door and passed a gaping Draco without a word. When she stepped out of the changing room, she put a hand on her pulsating heart and set her glasses on her now boyish face.

"That was strange," she mumbled under her breath. Good thing her back had been to him, but otherwise, maybe now he would learn to keep out of her way. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Harmony joined the crowd of girls and stood next to Ginny.

"You look a bit flustered," Ginny whispered, and Harmony snorted. She had most definitely not been thinking about a shirtless Draco.

"I ran here," she put a hand to her heated cheeks. A that precise moment, Draco opened the boys' changing room, and a couple of girls turned to see him in a clinging black shirt and loose shorts. Ginny grabbed her hand seconds latter.

"What was he doing here?" she asked, and saw that Harmony's blush had not left. "Harry!" She said none too lightly and then began to whisper in her ear, "did you change in front of him?"

"Yeah," she shrugged, "so what."

"Harmony," Ginny whispered in a deathly silence, "you can't do that."

"Er. What, I can't?" Harmony ignored the other girls pointing and giggling at them.

"Of course not," Ginny smacked her forehead and whispered fiercely, "What were you thinking? Girls don't change in front of boys."

"Shh," Harmony whispered back, "It's not my fault that he decided to come in and change now. It doesn't matter any way." Ginny whacked Harmony's hand and glared at the changing room.

"I can't believe him, did he change in front of you?"

"He took off his shirt," Harmony pointed at Madam Hooch who began to speak.

"He's so dead," Ginny muttered. They looked at the cliff that they would have to scale and Harmony frowned. Did any of them even have the upper body strength that it would take to reach the top? He doubted it. But then again, representing the only boy entitled him to at least be able to make it the furthest. Luna joined them from the girls' changing room with her hair swinging in a pony tail.

"Alright, now three of you can go up at the same time," Madam Hooch said.

"Where are the ropes?" Harmony whispered to Ginny.

"Hm?" Ginny whispered, "You think we are going to be pulled up?"

"I would think that there should be something to catch us," Harmony said. Three girls began to make their way up, and Harmony watched as they fell like ants before hovering the rest of the way down. "Oh."

So far none of the girls could reach the top, and Harmony could feel her arms starting to feel weak. She began to stretch them and loosen up her shoulders. When it was her turn, she stood at the far end with Ginny in the middle and Luna at the other end. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Harmony gripped the first crevice and lifted up her leg. There were small bumps and holes and Harmony attempted to blank out her mind and just think about lifting herself up. She felt like she was crawling ever so slowly and her arms burned within minutes. This was much harder than quidditch, and Harmony hugged the side of the cliff, resting for a few moments. She heard a gasp from her her right and looked down to see Ginny nearing the ground. Luna was just at her feet and smiled up at her.

Harmony gave it her all, straining each muscle before she reached a point where should would have to jump in order to go on. She was very close, and sweat beaded her forehead. It was all or nothing and Harmony jumped. Her fingers just brushed the handhold when she lost her grip and desperately tried to hold onto anything. Her heart lurched as she felt herself fall, and as she began to drift down, she watched as Luna neared the top and scaled the wall like a monkey.

When she landed, Luna sat at the top and waved down at everybody. Luna stood up and took a few steps then began to float down and cheers greeted her. She landed on her feet and they sat down further away from the others, breathing hard. "That was certainly challenging," Harmony said, but she was glad that it had cleared her mind.

"Wow Luna, you are wicked," Ginny laughed.

They sat there watching the other girls fall, till class ended, and Harmony almost forgot about Draco when she opened the changing room. She half expected to see him topless, waiting for her, but he wasn't and Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

* * *

The next day Harmony came prepared. She wore her gym clothes under her school uniform and was almost glad to see Draco there. "Hello Harmony," he said, and Harmony rolled her eyes.

"Why am I not surprised that you're here?" She set her bag down. "Even after Ginny hounded you down like a bludger."

Draco loosened his tie and then patted his shoulder. "I can take a punch," he said and Harmony snorted. "I'd go through much more too."

"Alright, Draco," Harmony said, "just try to keep your eyes to your self. I like my privacy."

"Fine," Draco smirked, "i'll try."

Harmony shrugged her shoulders and took off her outer robes, glad that she had on her work out clothes underneath. It was strange having someone there after being alone most of the time, and not having to do everything with the fear of someone finding out who she really was. Even going to the loo was sometimes awkward, and she had to wait for everyone to leave before going. The thought of too many people knowing her predicament didn't settle well with her. The word would go out some way, like it always did.

Harmony's gray vest fell to the ground and Harmony glanced at Draco, wondering how this even started. He was topless with his hands unbuckling his belt, and Harmony turned quickly away. Even though she knew that he wouldn't do anything to her, Harmony couldn't help but think that something more could happen. Her heart beat faster, and she shook her head. What was wrong with her? She had seen so many of her house mates undress. She knew what a bloke looked like. But Draco was different. She had tried to suppress that kiss they shared, but it didn't stop her body from remembering. The hate between them had long gone, and she had already forgiven him. Draco liked her, and she couldn't understand why; Why he'd go through all this trouble for her. And even so, something was stopping her from relishing the feeling of being in his arms.

Harmony shoved her clothes into her locker, and flattened her hair with her hands. "You look good in a tank top." Harmony turned to him and lifted an eyebrow. Thankfully he was fully clothed. He must have been referring to yesterday considering the over sized shirt covered the most of her.

"Er, thanks?" she said.

"The shirt you're wearing now looks like it belongs to a whale, want one of mine?" Draco held out a black shirt, and Harmony took it with a slight hesitation.

"I'll try it." Harmony pulled her shapeless Duddley shirt from over her head and covered herself with Draco's. It was still too big for her, but it didn't look as awkward as the other. "It feels nice," she said without thinking.

"Then it's yours," he said, "have fun in class."

"Thanks," she said and he left the changing room. Harmony felt the collar of the shirt between her thumb and fingers, and brought it closer to her face. As silly as she was acting, Harmony smiled as she thought that it smelled like him, and ran to class before doing something even more embarrassing.

When she saw Ginny next, the smile had not left her face. "Hello," Harmony said cheerfully.

"Draco was here and gave you that shirt, right?" Ginny said in an unusual composed voice.

"Yep," Harmony said, "what gave you that idea?"

"You look too happy," she said with a sigh.

"Oh," Harmony looked around the room before seeing an extended rope hanging well above a massive pool. "Please tell me we aren't swimming."

"Nope," Ginny looked at the pool, "not unless you fall."

"Bugger."

The class turned worse than she had expected. Of course she had fallen in the sodding pool. She first hopped that no one would notice her slight curves, and she was so glad that she always wore a tank top. Draco's shirt didn't cling to her and must have been partially waterproof or sweat proof, because beads of water were raining down her sides. Harmony returned to the changing room completely drenched, and feeling ridiculous that she didn't have a sodding towel. Why didn't she know any spells that dried water instantly? She hadn't been the only girl, and most of them were already in the girls' changing room by the time that she had gone. She took off Draco's shirt and rubbed Duddly's old shirt through her dripping hair. It didn't matter here if she looked like a girl, and Harmony slipped her glasses off.

"Why are you soaked?" Harmony turned to see an amused Draco who had obviously finished his work out. He had a towel over his shoulder which Harmony eyed.

"I fell in the pool before I almost crossed the rope." Harmony shrugged her shoulders and another stream emptied to the floor.

"You know there is a shower room," Draco said, "I was just going to go, but I think that you need this more." He handed her his towel and Harmony looked at him strangely.

"Really? Where?" Harmony followed him to the back of the room where there were stalls to wash. "Huh, when did these get here?" There was a flimsy moth ridden curtain that had to do, and Harmony thanked him. She retrieved her school robes and Draco handed her his towel.

"You're being awfly nice, considering that you're wearing the locket" Harmony remarked and Draco sat on the bench that divided the lockers.

"Would you rather I be mean?" Draco asked.

"No, but it's strange, when I had the locket everything stressed me out." Harmony draped the towel around her back, already feeling the cold lessen.

"I am annoyed," Draco said, "but I don't want to take it out on you."

"What's bothering you?" Harmony asked. Draco eyed her, as if wondering if she was serious.

"I just keep wishing that things were different." It was the opposite for her, now that she had accepted Sirius's death. "The locket, it's telling me that I could never be someone you'd fall for. 'Give up' it says 'she's going to be dead anyway'. But..." Draco shook his head.

"But you're still here and won't let that happen. Maybe it's better if things stay as they are. Who knows what war will bring. I could very well die." Draco looked in to her green eyes. "But I will destroy Voldemort first."

"Maybe you should live and enjoy your life now before- before whatever happens." Draco gripped the locket from under his shirt and brought it over his head.

"I do enjoy me life," Harmony said, "and I am grateful for each day that I stay alive."

"Alright," Draco stood up, and the locket returned to his neck, "So long as you're happy. Anyway, we should destroy this locket soon, it's bloody annoying company."

"Yeah," Harmony said, "this weekend." Draco pulled his outer robe on and picked up his bag.

"I'll see you around," he said and left the changing room. Harmony pulled the towel around her small frame and wondered why he left so abruptly. She shivered from her damp clothes, and realized that he may have left her some privacy to take a shower. She crept passed the rows of lockers before spying stalls with moth ridden curtains. She pushed a curtain back and turned the rusted knob. Sure enough, hot water jutted out and Harmony enjoyed a quick shower. While the water spilled over her head, she wondered if things were really alright as they were.

* * *

Snape was in his usual acerbic mood when Harmony dropped in for one of her detentions. He seemed like he had inhailed too many fumes from his potions as he stared at her without a word. "Is something wrong, Professor?" Harmony asked as she watched his eye twitch.

"Yes," he said slowly, "your face." She felt her cheeks, wondering if some stray crumb was left from dinner. "It's bad enough to see it in class. Change it." It didn't take longer then three seconds as she understood him and dropped the magic from around her face. Harmony felt awkward as he scrutinized her further.

"So when shall we begin?" she asked. Snape rose from his desk and attacked her mind without warning. She could feel him inching his way further into her mind, and Harmony felt her haphazard barriers crumble. "Bloody Hell," she muttered as Snape watched a scene from her childhood when Duddly had chased her with a stick. The memory switched to a newer one, and Harmony couldn't stop the mortification as he witnessed Draco dancing with her at the Halloween party. Instantly her mind tried to dispel Snape from her memories, and Harmony realized why certain information was best left to herself. She blocked out that memory and switched it to her eating breakfast that morning with Ginny. She felt Snape leave her, and she stared at him from where she sat.

"That's personal," she said with a frown.

"Then you must guard your most personal memories well, or else i will know everything about you." Harmony opened her eyes, and watched snape. "I told you to empty your mind from emotions. Legilimens!" It was easy for Snape to pick at her most guarded thoughts. Sirius came in her thoughts, and Harmony failed from keeping her emotions in check. The more he came at her, the more anxious and worse she got at blocking him. She would think that she had nothing to hide from him soon, and Harmony couldn't believe that they were doing the same thing for months. All of her fears, dreams, happiness, and desires were open for him to see, and Harmony could still not block him. "Are you even trying?" he asked.

"I am!" she said, and once again Snape was in her head. He was delving further into the memories that she desperately wanted to hide. She didn't want him to see her kissing Draco or witness other personal memories. When ever he got close, her mind became blank, and she thought of nothing. Sometimes she showed him things that she didn't care for him to see. She allowed her memories of previous potions class and divinations to fill her mind. Snape seemed to notice, but didn't offer any encouragement. He probably thought it was better to see nothing, than to see the memories that showed who she really was.

At least she wasn't wearing the locket, like last time. That had been too unbearable for the both of them. Her anger had made her susceptible to his attacks, till she had left humiliated and exposed. She felt marginally in control compared to then, and hid what she could. She didn't know if he was impressed or just glad that they were getting somewhere after the months of her failing at it pathetically.

She couldn't so easily suppress her emotions, but she tried not to have her emotions on her sleeve as Snape so nicely put it. "That's enough for today," Snape said, and Harmony nodded her head. "Though the memory of you and Draco," Snape said, and Harmony instantly flared up, "the one when Draco offered to help you in occlumency, may not be such a bad idea."

"Really," she said dryly. She didn't like the idea of both of them slythering into her mind, "why is that?"

"Maybe he can show you how to properly guard yourself, I would think that he would be good at suppressing his emotions." Harmony snorted, and thought that maybe she knew Draco better than he did. Draco hadn't been suppressing himself recently, but perhaps Snape didn't know because she had been guarding her most recent memories.

"I'll ask him again," she said and stood to leave. "Thank you Sir."

"Alright," Snape returned to his desk and watched her with keen eyes. Harmony left him and she wondered if he was acting stranger than usual. She had almost forgot to put on her Harry disguise when she heard some footsteps near. She ran to her room without meeting anyone, and got ready for the next day. The weekend was coming soon.

…

Harmony went through the halls, passing the Ravenclaw and Slytherin banners. It was near impossible to forget that the match was today, and even though she wasn't playing that day, Harmony felt the excitement build in her. She joined Ginny at the Gryffindor table and pooled her plate with toast. "I'm glad we're not playing today, the weather would have frozen me off my broom," Harmony said. The room was chattering loudly, and Harmony wondered why a quidditch game was brining such a fuss up.

"Yeah, and so now you'll be freezing your bum off in the bleachers." Ginny carefully halved an apple and placed it on Harmony's plate. "So rooting for Draco?" she whispered. Harmony had a goblet to her mouth and nearly spewed it on Ron's face. Luckily, it only went passed his head.

"Blimey, Harry," Ron said, "the drink goes in, not out."

"Sorry," she tried to look sheepish and glare at Ginny at the same time.

"You two are getting really close," Ron remarked, "are you guys going out?" Probably it wasn't quite so smart for her to have the globet to her mouth again, because this time the juice did meet its target. "Because I'm fine if you are, you can tell me." Ron dragged his hand over his face and squeegeed the rest off.

"We aren't like that," Ginny said, and Ron appeared to be disappointed.

"Oh," he said, "could have fooled me."

"Er," Harmony muttered, "right."

"So who do you think will win?" Ron asked.

"Beats me," Harmony said, not having thought of the match yet.

"Cho Chang has gotten pretty good," Ron looked at her strangely.

"Is that so?" Harmony said between some buttered toast in her mouth.

"Harry, I thought you liked her," Ron frowned. Harmony shrugged her shoulder.

"Not any more," Harmony said and refilled her glass.

"Really?" Ron looked bewildered, "but I thought that you two would make a cute couple." Harmony looked behind her at the Ravenclaw table and realized that Cho Chang hadn't come to her mind in ages.

"Eh, she's alright," Harmony said. Ginny rolled her eyes next to her, and Harmony went back to her toast.

"I don't know," Ron said, "you seem so different." Hermione joined them at the table and caught the last words.

"There is a lot on my mind is all," Harmony muttered.

"Yeah, like what?" Hermione asked.

She wasn't going to say out right that Draco was on her mind, so instead she stuffed a huge piece of toast in her mouth, "Like voldemort," she said after a few seconds of chewing.

"I take it that you havn't looked at the prophet today," she said and passed one over. Harmony didn't have to flip anything in order to see the words 'Massive Breakout at the Ministry' and mug shots of known death eaters. The worst had to be a crazed Beatriz Lestrange, and Harmony looked up and noticed that Neville hadn't been present since she got there.

"I can't believe this," Harmony muttered and read on. 'It was confirmed that ten high-security prisoners, in the early hours of yesterday evening, did escape. We strongly suspect that the breakout was engineered by a man with personal experience in escaping from Azkaban; notorious mass murderer Sirius Black, cousin of the escapee Bellatrix Lestrange...'

Harmony crumpled the paper in her hands and gave it back to Hermione. "Of course they would blame Sirius," Harmony muttered angrily, "when it was the Ministry's damn fault."

"You think that the game will be cancelled?" Ron asked.

"No," Herminone said, "we're safe here."

"Maybe it's better if it isn't cancelled. The students need something to take the war out of their heads," Ginny said as Harmony once again lifted her head and watched the other tables with students chattering all at once.

"I suppose," Harmony said, "but I'm not celebrating."

"Will you watch the game?" Ron asked. Harmony nodded her head and when the conversation drifted elsewhere, she turned around to the Slytherin table. Draco wasn't there.

Harmony had potions for class first after breakfast, and went to class early to see if Draco was there. Draco tended to be early to class whenever something was up, and sure enough he had his feet up on the desk in the back of the classroom. She didn't say anything as she joined him. She set her bag against the desk and looked over Draco who had his hands behind his head and was leaning back in his chair. He looked at her briefly before shutting his eyes once more. "Is the locket making it worse?" Harmony asked and Draco still did not say anything, "you should give it to me before your match." Draco looked tired as he slowly nodded his head. "Give it to me now," Harmony said, "you should have told me about your game, I would have taken it."

"The match isn't important," Draco surprised her. "Not compared with the breakout."

"Yeah," Harmony muttered, and watched Draco closely. "But even so, I think that you should fly your heart out and catch that snitch. How else will you beat me?" Draco watched her lazily and took his feet off from the desk.

"True," he said, "we havn't had a match yet. I think the next Gryffindor verses Slytherine game is in spring this year."

Harmony stuck out her hand and Draco lifted the locket from under his shirt. It was warm when it touched her skin, and Harmony slipped it over her head. "Better?"

"Much," he answered. Harmony reached into her book bag and took out her potions book. It served as a nice pillow if anything as she rested her head on it. She could feel ominous feelings make her think of the break out more, and Harmony knew that Voldemort had planned it all. She didn't want to think about him building an army.

"Thank you for holding on to the locket," she said with her head down. Already her feelings were being corrupted and Harmony took a deep breath to keep her mind blank.

"I'll take it back later tonight," he said, "after I win." Harmony smiled at him.

"Naturally." Other students began to come in, and Harmony watched as they gave the two of them weird looks.

"It's strange how they think just because we are in different houses that we can't be friends," she said.

"It's more than that, and you know it," Draco said.

"It's silly though," Harmony muttered.

"Should I start insulting you so that they don't stare?" Draco laughed without any mirth.

"Yeah, and then I should pull out my wand and hex everything to have boils and warts."

"And then Snape will come in and give you a weeks worth of detention," Draco said.

"Hell," Harmony said, remembering what Snape had said the other night "who knows, maybe he will invite you too."

"He's never given me a detention," Draco said as he leaned back into his chair.

"Figures," Harmony said and the last of the students came in. Ron and Hermione waved at her and Harmony mimicked the gesture. She dully noted that Neville still had yet to show. Snape stepped into the room and glared at the children as if he had been eating a lemon drop.

"Open to page 378," he grumbled, "today we will begin to brew the sorcerer's revenge." Harmony wondered when they would begin to brew something useful, like a sleeping draught, or the sorcerer's paradise. Like she was ever going to use any of this. Harmony lifted her head from her book and began to turn the pages without so much of an inch of interest. "Does anyone know this spesific potion?" Snape ignored the raging hand known as Hermione, and Harmony smartly looked down at a speck of dust as so not to be called on. "No one?" Snape said. If anyone could be a flashing neon sign, Harmony bet that Hermione could do it. "It's a potion that when mixed with any potion, magnifies the adverse effects of that potion and does not stop till it is completely out of your system." Harmony wondered why any of them would need to know such a useless potion. "Alright," Snape barked, "begin." In no way was what Snape doing even considered teaching. Harmony glared at her book as Draco read the ingredients that they needed.

"This is pointless," Harmony whispered angrily.

"Just be glad that he doesn't test it out on you. Snape's revenge on anyone is something to fear."

"Let's just get this over with." Harmony pulled out the list of ingredients and Draco went with her to the supply room. Other students were milling around, and Harmony scrunched her nose as soon as they stepped in. "Why does it smell like earthworms and vinegar?" she muttered.

"Maybe that's just his lunch," Ron had overheard her.

"At least it doesn't smell like rotten food like last year," Dean replied. The majority of the students in the small room were Gryffindors and Draco leaned against the shelves.

"Shh," someone said in the glowing dark, "he has super hearing, he can hear you." She was tempted to say that he had could read their every thoughts, but knew that she would be berated if she did. Draco took the list from her hands and read off what they were supposed to get.

"twelve rose thorns," he said in a bored manner, "a teaspoon of arsenic."

"Why is he here?" Ron asked with his usual lack of tact. Draco stopped reading off the ingredients and glared at the red head.

"To make sure that Potter gets the right ingredients," Draco said.

"Why don't you just get them yourself then?" Ron said as he picked a hair of a donkey's tail.

"It's alright Ron," Harmony said, "I don't care." Ron continued to glare at Draco to which he responded with a smirk. Ron looked a little put out and gaped at Harmony.

"Why are you letting him do this to you?" Ron waved a rat's tail at Draco in exasperation.

"It's ok, Ron, we're working together now." Harmony found the jar of chicken blood and emptied some in a flask. "This smells revolting," Harmony passed it to Draco, "you hold it." Draco took it and fastened a cork into the flask.

"Now we need the tears of a dieing pig," Draco pointed to a shelf too high for the girl, and after she pointedly stared at him, he easily reach up and retrieved some. "You could use accio," Draco remarked, and Harmony shrugged her shoulders, "or try to reach it, it's funny when you can't." They ignored Ron as he continued to gape as they worked together. Harmony kept piling the ingredients on Draco, and soon he could barely hold the list.

"Alright that's it," he said, "let's get back." Harmony held half of the potions as they carried them to their desk. Draco set up the cauldron and Harmony followed Draco's instructions. Soon the sound of chopping and stirring filled the room and Snape sat at his desk, watching the students with disdain.

"So why are you working out?" Harmony asked as she ground the rat's tail.

"To be in shape," Draco said and looked at her from where he stirred, "didn't you do it too?" Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Not before magical fitness," Harmony said, "I guess I never really thought about it." She had always been so thin, and didn't think that bulking up would have even been possible.

"It doesn't-"

"Detention!" Snape shouted from where he sat, "Potter and Malfoy for unnecessarily speaking!" Many of the students did a double take when Draco's name had been called, and Draco looked on with disbelief.

"Sorry, Sir," Harmony said. She kicked Draco's shoe when he didn't say anything. "Don't argue with him," she whispered from the side of her mouth, "I'll tell you later." Draco shut his mouth and returned to the cauldron. They completed the rest of the assignment, when they finished the potion and handed in a flask of the sorcerer's revenge. Snape took one look at it and nodded his head.

"Tomorrow night," he said, "my office."

"Alright," Harmony said, and when Draco still did not move, she grabbed his arm and pushed him away. The other students were already out the door, and Harmony realized that she shouldn't be touching him, and dropped her hand. "The detentions are my lessons with Snape, and he wants you to join us."

"I see," he said.

"Good luck on your game today," she said.

"Thanks," Draco pulled his bag over his shoulder, "but I don't need any luck." Harmony walked off and didn't notice that Ron had watched her from ahead of her.

"Harry," he said sounding bewildered, "what are you doing?"

"Hmm?" Harmony shot a look back to make sure that Draco wasn't near. "What's wrong?"

"You're fraternizing with the enemy," he said, and Harmony snorted.

"Really Ron?" Harmony rolled her eyes, "that's ridiculous. Just because we're acting civil-"

"Harry, that wasn't acting! Don't you lie to me." Harmony couldn't believe it.

"Alright? What do you want? Want me to say that I hate his guts!"

"I would like that, but I know you'd be lieing." Ron frowned at her.

"Does it matter if he is my friend?" Harmony said with rising anger.

"Yes," Ron said, "because he's tricking you."

"No," Harmony said, "he's not."

"Then why are you lieing to me?" Harmony couldn't answer at first, but glared at Ron.

"Alright, it's true, we're friends, but he's not what you think."

"Merlin, Harry, what about everything he's done?"

"Things change, and people grow up," Harmony said, "and I'm not asking you to be his friend, just don't judge everybody!"

"Harry, are you even listening to yourself? It's Malfoy! His father murdered Sirius!"

"Draco isn't his father, and he's not a death eater if that's what you're thinking." A deep red was seeping through his cheeks.

"I don't get it? Why? He's an arsehole! He he's-"

"Are you done?" Harmony asked.

"What the Hell's happened to you?" Ron stopped walking and looked at Harmony as if she was a spider. "Is Malfoy black mailing you? Cause I swear if he is-."

"Ron, stop it," Harmony glared at him, "it's none of your business who I become friends with." That didn't seem to settle well with him.

"I can't believe this, Harry," Ron scowled, "don't expect me to tolerate him! I'm not going anywhere near you and Malfoy."

"Whatever," she said and started to walk to the dorms. She didn't care if she had hurt Ron's feelings. He didn't have to be such a prat about it. What, as if he knew better about how she should live her life.

Harmony didn't look back as she stormed off, and went to her room. She threw her bag across the floor and lay face down in the covers. Harmony refused to move a muscle, and groaned into her pillow. The qiuiditch match was scheduled to start after classes, and Harmony knew she didn't have long before the bleachers would be filled and all of the good spots would be taken. She was tempted to stay there where it was warm and alone and watch the game from her window. But she knew that sounded pathetic, and instead, pulled on a plain winter cloak before locking her door. Other students had the same idea of going early, and were making their way to the field in a loud chatter. An overwhelming impulse filled her to make Ron angry, and Harmony had to stop or else pick another fight with him. She left the Gryffindor common room and made sure that no one was near. She tucked away her glasses and dispelled the magic from her face. She didn't want to go as Harry.

She pulled on a large white hat with cat eats which Luna had given her for Christmas. She had matching gloves and Harmony double checked that no Gryffindor related article was noticeable.

The sky was a sheet of white and brightened the entire area. When Harmony stepped outside, she pulled her scarf close to her neck and trekked through the cleared path. She got to the Gryffindor section and spotted Ginny with Luna.

"Hello," she said as she sat next to the two, and Ginny gave her a questioning glance. "Aren't you going to cheer for your team over there?" Harmony pointed to the huddled Ravenclaws, and Luna smiled.

"Nah, I like this angle better. Plus I can be with you two," she said and waved a flag with a raven on it.

"So, what are you doing here, Harmony?" Ginny asked, "is it to cheer Draco on?" Harmony sat next to the girls and decided that going as Harmony had not been as good of idea as she had previously thought.

"No," Harmony forced a laugh, "but I may as well."

"You're getting lots of attention though," Ginny said, and Harmony saw that many heads and fingers were pointing her way. She shrugged her shoulders. "They're calling you the Hogsmead girl, and Draco's girlfriend."

"What?" Harmony said a tad too loud and ducked her head, "really?"

"Are you finding it hard to believe? It's the third time you've made your presence known." Luna said, "At least they don't think you're somebody else."

"Er, right." Harmony hoped that people weren't smart enough to put two and two together. She wisely turned away from Ron and Hermione who were making googly eyes at each other.

"So why are you here?" Ginny whispered.

"I got in a fight with Ron," Harmony whispered back, "and I didn't want him to think that I was secretly cheering for Draco."

"Which you are," Ginny chuckled, "so he found out about your friendship? Took him long enough. It was probably Hermione who sent him to it."

"Maybe I really should cheer Draco on, to make Ron angry," Harmony muttered.

"That's the spirit. Anyway, have you been practicing the healing magic?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, I think that I got the basic first aid. It's hard to practice mending bones when there isn't anything broken to fix."

"We could practice on branches or spiders," Ginny said.

"That's mean," Luna said.

"Then let's go out into the woods and find wounded animals," Harmony leaned forward on the balcony and looked down below at the fields.

"Or we could just hope that a bludger gets somebody," Ginny said and Luna frowned. "I think that we should be getting extra credit points for all of this after school work," she touched her pink nose.

"I thought spending alone time with Leighton was reward enough?" Harmony joked. Ginny lightly punched her shoulder. Around them, the bleachers began to fill, and Harmony watched as the Slytherins cloistered together while the others dispered like a cloud of houses. It would seem like it was three houses rooting for Ravenclaw. Well and one Gryffindor for Slytherin, she thought and laughed to herself. That wouldn't go to well with her house mates. More importantly, she couldn't help but feel silly for thinking that she was going to actually root for Draco.

But she was here for Draco, wasn't she? She didn't know why it mattered that she was there, but it did. Harmony caught Ron's disapproving eye from where he sat and smiled. They both knew who she wanted to catch the snitch. Harmony turned to Ginny, and wondered what she thought of Draco being close to her. Harmony didn't think that Ginny hated Draco, but the other girl definitely cared.

But it wasn't like Harmony was in love or anything. She was just friends with Draco, and only happened to like certain things about him a lot. Things that she hadn't thought about before in anyone else. Harmony quit that line of thinking as a certain voice reminded her that she shouldn't be fooling around; like she would ever be in a normal relationship anyway. She'd have to give up a big part of herself is she'd ever be in a relationship with anyone, and she doubted that she would ever tell the person that she had been a boy for 15 years of her life. That wasn't something that guys thought alluring in a girl, and Harmony shook her head at her limited possibilities at happiness.

A lone whistle brook the chatter, and Lee Jordon's magnified voice greeted the school. Harmony straighted her back and leaned forward as the doors at the field opened at opposite ends. Green and purple swirls shot out and Harmony instantly became aware of who and what was on the field. The captains shook hands at the center of the field and Harmony watched as the balls were released and the whistle was blown.

The beginning of the game was usually slow, and if she had been playing she would have probably been circling around and just watching everybody. Draco seemed to be scanning the stands, not the game, and Harmony knew that he was watching for her. An eyebrow rose and she wished that she she could be a snitch and be impossible to spot. Too bad seekers were trained to catch the golden snitch, and Harmony saw Draco smirk as they stared at each other. He trailed off, and Harmony wondered if maybe he would actually play the game now.

Draco swerved around the field, and she realized that she never actually had watched him fly before. He flew with a grace that she did not have on a broom. While she flung and hurtled across the field, he knew how to make flying look effortless, elegant like an art. "Harmony," Ginny sent her back to the bleachers, "do you have good vision?"

"Yes, I can spot everything on the field," she said.

"That's so strange, did you know that you are the only one here with 'glasses'?" Ginny whispered and air quoted the glasses part. "And the best damn seeker as well." Harmony frowned as she realized that.

"Well technically, I don't need these," she tapped her pocket where her specs rested, all the while keeping her eyes on Draco.

"What are watching?" Luna asked, "Draco's not doing anything." To her it would not look like doing anything, but Harmony knew what Draco was up to.

"He's picking up the speed, and watching at different angles," Harmony said, "soon one of them will begin to feign seeing the snitch, or when the score becomes more uneven, then one of them will catch it. Right now, they're watching-"

"Did, you see that? That Ravenclaw chaser almost got a bludger to the head!" Ginny said and whispered what must have been 'wicked'. Harmony had not seen that, she had spotted the snitch not fifteen yards away. It was hovering near their bleachers, where the wall and the banner meet. No wonder the snitch was so allusive, it was blending in with the gold banner. If she were on a broom, it would have been in her hand already. She couldn't afford to look away or else lose it. She knew that it would be too soon to catch it now, anyway.

"It seems like the Ravenclaws are wining," Luna waved her raven flag. The houses cheered as yet again, the quaffle went into a hoop. Harmony didn't care who won in the end. The most important part was catching the snitch. After ten more minutes, with the Slytherins slightly catching up, the snitch left the banner and shot away. She wondered if in the next game she played, if she should fly near the bleachers. Harmony saw that Cho Chang was watching Draco intently, and Harmony wondered if things had been different, she would have been sitting there watching that girl instead. It was a strange thought, but Harmony felt no regret from her loss with Cho Chang.

Hamony ignored the cheers that erupted all around her as Ravenclaw scored once again. Now was usually the time that the Slytherins played dirty. Bludgers were soon aimed and heads were narrowly missed. The two seekers followed close to each other, and Harmony scanned the field for any glint of gold.

Harmony got bored watching the game, and trailed her eyes on Draco. She needed to fly with him again, and maybe snag a snitch so that they could compete. It was much more fun than actually playing quidditch. They could practice getting better without their teams, and fly without hands, or ride it with only their feet like a surfboard. Harmony snapped out of her thoughts and realized that wasn't what she was supposed to do. She shook her head and knew that doing those things with him would make her like him more. Harmony couldn't afford that. She couldn't lead him on like that either.

But it was strange that he was so interested in her. Almost to the point of being obsessed. He had always gone out of his way to put her on edge. Was this any different? Harmony watched as the two seekers dived. The snitch had been spotted, and Harmony saw way bellow, the snitch. It was easy to see who was faster, who had better control over the broom. It didn't look like Draco was just falling, he looked like a hawk catching its prey. He had gotten better since the last time they had a match, and as the stadium became silent, Draco reached out his hand at the same time as leveling the broom. Once the snitch was in his hand, the whistle was blown. The Slytherins howled at the win.

In her excitement she had stood up and caught herself smiling. She was the only Gryffindor up, and realized the attention that she was drawing to herself. Others looked at her solemnly, as if she was some kind of traitor. "I should go," Harmony said, and waved at Ginny and Luna. They did think that she was his girlfriend and Harmony grinned as Ron shot her a glare. It didn't matter to her what they thought. She could cheer Draco's name if she wanted. They weren't really her friends anyway. Ron was a sorry git, and he could piss off if he wanted to. She left the stands and didn't stay to watch Draco circling the stadium with the snitch in his hand.

She needed to change back soon, and not be caught inside Hogwarts. She figured that if everyone was outside, then she could find somewhere that no one was. The stair well had to do, and Harmony put on her glasses and stuffed her hat and mittens away before her face was male again. She went to the common rooms and hid Luna's gifts in her suitcase and draped her winter cloak on her bed. All she had to do now was wait for the Gryffindors to come back. She didn't want anyone to suspect her. She sat by the fire as the first students came in.

"Those nasty Slytherins cheated." Harmony frowned as she turned and saw some 6th years talking. "the Ravenclaws were much better. They were wining too, till Malfoy played a fast one." They saw her staring and Harmony resumed heating up by the fire. Fred and George soon joined her.

"See the game, Harry?" George asked.

"Yep," she said, as they sat with her between them.

"Didn't see you," Fred smiled.

"Watched it from my window," she shrugged and didn't miss the glare that Ron shot her as he passed them.

"Right, didn't want to be found out that you were rooting for a Slytherin," Ron muttered.

"Shove off," she said. Ginny went through the painting of the fat lady and crossed her arms.

"What's that Harry?" Fred asked. "Fancy one of the Slytherins?"

"Don't be mental," Harmony said, anger rushing through her.

"Are you a cream puff?" Ron smirked.

"No Ron, I'm not a pastry."

"A poof," Ron continued, "for Malfoy."

"Bloody Hell," Harmony gripped her knees hard, "I'm not bent, Ron. Get over yourself that I'm friends with Draco."

"Draco and Harry couldn't possibly be together," Ginny said as more students stopped to watch, "For one, Draco already has a girlfriend and second, Harry's not like that."

"Whatever," Ron spat.

"Malfoy is one lucky bloke," George said, "that Hogsmead girl is fine." George and Fred high fived each other, squishing Harmony in the process.

"Her name is Harmony," Ginny said. Harmony put her hand over her face, with the anticipation for the worst.

"She's your friend?" Ron asked, as if this was just as bad, "What the Hell?"

"Yes I invited her today," Ginny said. "And she's Harry's friend too."

"You've been holding out on us," George whined, and hugged Harmony, "I thought you loved us."

"Don't tell me that your friends with Malfoy as well," Ron said with red cheeks, "cause I won't allow it."

"Ron" Ginny said, "that's even low for you. And yes we're somewhat friends," Ginny said, "and I don't care if you have a problem with it."

"Blimey, Ron," George whistled, "people have free will. You should know by know that Ginny won't listen to you."

"What the Hell is wrong with you guys? It's bloody Malfoy! The Slytherin pounce!" Ron huffed. Hermione came through the portrait and realized immediately that her Ronie Pooh needed help. "Seriously!"

"Ron," Harmony said with a flare of anger, "piss off." Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and began to push him back. She whispered something in his ear and looked at them with an apologetic look.

"Sorry," she said, "he just lost a lot of money on a bet on who would win. Harry and Ginny, you can be friends with anyone."

"Hermione!" Ron sputtered, "don't encourage them."

"I'll try to talk some sense in him," Hermione left and most of the crowd with her. Harmony glared at the rest of her house mates till they all left as well.

"Insufferable arse," Ginny muttered.

"Friends with Malfoy?" Fred wondered, "what's there to like?"

"Oh, not you two as well," Harmony grumbled.

"Nah, just pulling your leg. We can see that's he's different. Less intolerable. I suspect that its your doing, Harry." Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Its ok with us," George said, "we trust your judgment."

"Er. Thanks?" Harmony stood up and the weasley twins leaned against each other. "I'll see you guys around," Harmony said. Before she made it to her room, Ginny pulled her aside.

"You're wearing the locket again?" she asked.

"Its alright," Harmony sighed.

"We better destroy it soon."

"Yeah," Harmony muttered, "we will do it to night. Tell Luna." Harmony closed the door and locked it shut. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep.

* * *

At the great hall, the Slytherin's brought their celebration with them. The hall was decorated with green and the Slytherins sneered the entire time. They gloated at their victory and laughed at the Ravenclaws and at any house who dared watch them. Harmony rolled her eyes when she saw that, but she had to be there to talk to Draco. He was sitting among them, but did not join in on the jeering.

Harmony watched as they feasted on their victory, piling their plates and chatting it up. She caught him after dinner in the halls, and passed him a note which explained that they were going to meet in the girls bathroom on the first floor that night. The one with Moaning Myrtle.

Draco stood close to her, ignoring the fact that she was Harry Potter. "What did you think of the game?" He loomed over her.

"You fly well," Harmony said and shrugged before leaving. She didn't want him to know how much she had admired him.

* * *

Harmony waited till the common room became quiet before stepping out. She sat on the couch, waiting for Ginny, till it was almost midnight, and Harmony felt the locket hang like a hand pulling down at her neck. A door creaked open and Harmony turned her head to watch as Ginny descended the stairs. They nodded to each other when they were close enough, and went to the portrait.

Luna and Draco were waiting for them at Moaning Myrtle's haunted bathroom. Draco had a frown as the ghost girl flirted with him, picking at his blonde hair. "Stop it," he said curtly and shooed her away as if she was a fly.

"Hello, Harry," Myrtle giggled and passed through him,"what are you up to now?"

"Why are we here?" Draco muttered as he looked around the girls' loo with distaste.

"Basilisk tooth," Harmony said, "to destroy the locket."

"Cool," Luna said.

"So there's a Basilisk tooth somewhere in this bathroom?" Draco looked around him dubiously. "Alright."

"Yep, in the Chamber of Secrets."

"No!" Moaning Myrtle shrieked and jumped to the toilet, which erupted in a splash as the ghost disappeared in the pipes.

"She never changes," Ginny looked over at Harmony. "And now its time to spear this locket."

"Chamber of Secrets," Draco recalled, "like in the second year?"

"Yep." Harmony scratched her short hair and her Harry mask slipped away as she went up to the sink. "Second year, I stabbed a basilisk, and destroyed Tom Riddle's diary."

"Why isn't that hard to believe?" Draco looked at Harmony. Would someone else believe that she was lying? Think that she was making up stories. A twelve year old boy taking down a horcrux and a basilisk was hard to believe. Down right impossible even. But he didn't dismiss her.

She took the locket from her neck and held it in her fist. She remembered the time when she had been a child with Ron and Hermione, standing in front of that very sink. It was time to open the Chamber of Secrets.

"Open," she hissed in parseltongue. At the same time the sink shifted from the wall, the locket clicked open. Two eyes peered back at her from the pictured windows, and she fell forward, almost sucked into the dark depths of the hole.

Something grabbed her, but she continued to fall through the darkness. She couldn't see anything, only herself.

She was falling, falling and squeezed like an apparition gone wrong.

Then the visions clouded her. There was nobody but herself, in the darkness. Hogwarts and her friends were gone. Nothing, just an emptiness. The eyes opened in the black, and she knew that Tom Riddle was there. _Give up_, she heard,_ you will fail. There is no love for somebody like you._ Something twisted at her hand, and scratched her body. Overwhelming sorrow mingled with hate flooded her senses. She couldn't do anything as something twisted around her body. She chocked on her own loneliness as arms and vines looking like snakes grappled with her. There was no noise, not a sound came from her lips. She was torn, torn from the snakes and dropped to the floor.

* * *

end of chapter 24, and no worries, the next 3 and a half chapters are already written. Ya wont have to wait long for the next one.

Here is an irrelevant question: What animagus form do you think Dumble is? I hinted it throughout, and I wonder if anyone is paying some what attention. I'm also curious how you guys think the story is going, anyway, cheers!


	25. Chapter 25 the Mischance

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 25 the Mischance

**Disclaimious**: I shot the disclaimious spell! Ha ha! Now Harry Potter is mine! Oh no! JK Rowling produced a powerful shield spell. She is the true owner of Harry Potter... again.

* * *

Draco waited in the girl's bathroom for Harmony, Luna, and Ginny, and failed ignoring the ghost who was touching him. He would have hexed the moaning girl if he could, but no matter how many threats and glares he shot at her, she was determined to be a wart. He didn't think that he had lost his menacing side, but the girl just floated around his head unfazed.

At least when Luna showed up, he didn't feel out of place. Harmony and Ginny came together, soon after. Impossibly, the ghost got disgustingly close to the girl who looked like Potter. He glared at the ghost, contemplating whether there were ways to reducto the thing. Once the pest dived into the toilet and out of sight, Harmony allowed the magic to fall from her face, and he watched as she went to one of the sinks.

Draco felt a shiver whisper through his spine as Harmony hissed, and the sink came apart. A great hole opened in its place, and Draco took a step forward. His voice caught as Harmony tipped forward. He heard a gasp from one of the girls behind him. Draco reached for Harmony, and her cloak brushed past his fingers. He had no time to think of anything else but of plummeting through the black hole.

"Lumos!" he yelled, and he could see Harmony just below him. He grasped her just as they were caught by vines. "Harmony!" he pulled her close as the vines wrapped around him. Ginny and Luna thudded after him, and struggled to get near.

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know! The locket- it just," Draco stopped. He saw the open locket and Harmony's blank stare. "Opened." The vines wrapped around them, and Draco tried as hard as he could to hold on to her. A tendril cut into his throat, and he was forced to let her go and watch as she was dragged down.

"Don't move," Luna said calmly, "it's the devil's snare." Draco couldn't do anything but choke, so he allowed his body to go limp. A few desperate seconds later while he was thinking that his limpness would be a permanent predicament, he felt the pressure leave his neck. His body was lowered and he dropped to the floor.

He found his wand plop like a lightning bug in the dust. He gripped it with shaking fingers as he brightened the area with light. "Harmony?" She was on the floor and Draco turned her over to see a mist clouding her. Her fist with the locket wouldn't loosen, and Draco felt fear grip him. Luna slipped through the vines and sat next to Harmony.

He was numb as he held the girl in his arms, and his mind urged him to act quick. "I'll get the Basilisk fang," he said, and stood up. Ginny scrambled to where they were and pointed the way.

"Hurry," she said, and went about to pry the locket from Harmony's hand. Draco ran through the tunnels, and his feet clamored against the damp stone tiles. He didn't stop to catch his breath, and followed the path leading to the main chamber. An expanse of room opened up and pillars of snakes met the ceiling and threw shadows across the ancient chamber. The skeleton of the Basilisk reared through the room and Draco reached for one of the fangs from its mouth and tore it off.

He sprinted with a desperation that he didn't know he had. His gasps echoed with his feet and soon enough, he made it back to the three girls.

They hadn't been able to take the locket from her hand. He could feel the effects of the locket on him. It whispered in his ear. Will you stab the fang through her hand? It laughed. Kill her with the the basilisk venom? You don't want to save her. She despises you, blames you for Sirius's death. The image of Leighton and Harmony played out before him. They were against each other laughing at him. Leighton molded to her lips, taking her away from him. Draco clenched the fang and the darkness surrounded him. Kill her! Draco lifted the chain of the locket and placed the tip of the fang on one the glass windows. It pricked the eye at it's pupil. She will never be with you! It screamed, You will kill her!

"Is that the best you can do?" he asked and stabbed the glass. The locket shrieked and Harmony's hand slipped away from it. The fang meet it again and again, till what was left were the shattered pieces of glass and metal. Draco dropped it to the floor.

* * *

"I think she's waking up," Luna said and brushed away the girl's bangs. Harmony's eyes fluttered open and she sat up.

"What the hell happened?" she said and felt a bump at her head, "the locket, where is it?"

Draco pointed to the locket on the ground, and Harmony took in his disheveled appearance. "You did it." She didn't have to ask. Draco offered his hand and pulled her up.

"Of course," he smirked. He had won more than just a snitch that night. "Now how do we get out of here?" he asked.

"Beats me," Harmony said. She looked up. "Is that Devil's snare?"  
Ginny looked at the dark growth suspiciously saying, "I don't remember that being here before."

Harmony put the remains of the locket in her pocket and ignored Draco as he continued to smirk.

"It's a weed that likes no light, it probably spread from the pipes," Luna said.

"Last time we flew out on a pheonix". Ginny said.

"you think you can fly us out as a hawk?"

"Maybe Draco as a ferret, and Luna as a lemur, but not you Harmony." Ginny shrugged her shoulders.

"Great," Harmony said, "I'm sure that I can find an exit in the sewage pipes one day."

"As long as you don't become like Moaning Mrytle." Luna said.

Harmony asked, "Ginny, can you fly up and get us brooms?"

"Sure," Ginny transformed into a hawk and flew off. They didn't have to wait long as the girl came back on a broom with another in her hand. She threw one down at Draco who caught it. "Hop on, Luna," she said. Luna was already on her head as a tazier lemur before Ginny knew what plopped on her.

"There's only one broom!" Harmony grumbled as the red head had jerked the broom up.

"Then share." She had already left and Harmony turned to Draco.

"Alright, turn into a ferret." Draco had already mounted the broom and held out his hand.

"Come on," he said with a smile.

"You want me to go as a caracal?" she stepped closer.

"Just get on, Harmony." Draco made room for her, and Harmony placed a hand on his shoulder. She didn't say any thing more as she placed herself behind him. She wrapped her arms around his torso and rested against his back. He took off gently, and maneuvered between the spaces of the devil's snare. She could feel the muscles of his back and arms as he flew, and Harmony wondered if she would have had trouble flying the two of them. He was as powerful of a flyer as he was graceful, and Harmony felt safe as he brought them up.

Soon the light materialized around them and Harmony lifted her head from his back. She slid off and ignored Ginny hiding her mouth and having a good laugh about the whole thing. "Thanks Draco," she said.

"Yep," he took Ginny's broom as well, "I'll takes these back, they're closer to the Slytherin common rooms."

"Alright," Ginny said. They all said good night. When Draco left Ginny turned to her. "It's hilarious that he's trying to be your knight in shining armour."

"Shut up," Harmony said, "that's stupid."

"Well he's certainly making an impression on you," Luna commented, "and I think it's rather nice of him to think so much about his special someone."

"Can we not talk about him," Harmony shook her head, "it's kind of disturbing to talk about guys."

"Alright," Ginny laughed, "just pulling your leg."

They said goodnight to Luna and continued on a different corridor. Harmony and Ginny walked side by side and just in case, she put on her glasses.

"I'm so glad that I'm not in the boy's dormitory anymore," Harmony said, "and that the locket is finally destroyed. I don't have to listen to any more of Ron's snoring."

"I'm glad that you're happier," Ginny said, "you were so pissy before."

"You were worse," Harmony said.

"True," Ginny laughed, "hey, I know you think boys are 'revolting', but what do you think about Dean Thomas?"

"Ew," Harmony said, "and I don't think that they are all revolting."

"Everyone but Draco," Ginny patted her back, "I know."

"Whatever," she huffed, "Dean's alright."

"Or what about Leighton?" Harmony looked back at her in surprise, "now he's a big catch."

"He's a professor!"

"What? You haven't thought of him as anything more," Ginny laughed. "He's 18, freaking hot and single. Ah! If only he paid half as much attention to me as he does to you."

"Ginny," Harmony laughed "I think he only sees us as friends."

"A girl can hope," Ginny smiled, "and maybe eventually he'll see something special right in front of him." They neared the common room and Harmony hugged Ginny.

"Thanks for everything," Harmony said, "who ever ends up with you will be one lucky bloke."

"Right," Ginny laughed.

* * *

Draco awoke with upturned lips as the prior day's events played back in his mind. He was sure that he was a step closer to Harmony's heart, and as he washed his face, he touched his flawless skin. He didn't think that she could resist him much more longer. He could barely resist himself as he smirked into the mirror. He felt his sore arm muscles in satisfaction, knowing that they were more defined.

He flexed in the mirror and felt much better about himself as he replaced his silk pajamas with a school uniform. He spent a bit longer that day making sure that he was absolutely delectable. He found Blaise waiting for him in the common room, and walked with him to the dining room.

"How are you?" Draco asked his friend.

"Good," Blaise said, "you won us the game." Draco shrugged his shoulders, like it didn't matter. "You are different," Blaise commented, " I didn't take you for such a romantic."

"I don't know," Draco said, "I may have changed for her. It's strange."

"When I saw you at Hogsmead with that girl, I thought you were just playing her. Fooling around with her heart. Have you fallen into your own trap, Draco?" Draco laughed at him.

"I'm done playing," Draco watched Blaise closely, "and yes, my plan did back fire."

"I'm glad," Blaise smirked. They neared the dinning hall doors and Draco saw that Harmony was holding out the doors for some ravenclaws. He had to stop from flashing her a smile. She caught his eye before letting go of the doors. "Potter's also changed." Blaise watched Draco, "he makes me not want to turn him into a punching bag. You guys are friends I've heard."

"I guess you can say that," Draco opened the doors of the dinning hall. "Potter isn't a complete arse."

"Some of the Slytherins want to hurt you because of that. Watch your back Draco, Hogwarts isn't safe for you." Draco snorted, remembering Snape and his father had said something similar to that.

"Right, but I think that I can manage," Draco sat down with Blaise. Pansy was further off glowering into her rice pudding. Crabe and Goyle were stuffing their fat mouth's, and Theodore Nott was no where to be seen. All of the Slytherins had become paranoid of saying something beyond the trivial. They were all neck stiff and sour. "What happened to Nott?" Draco whispered to Blaise, who looked at him sharply and shook his head.

Had things really gotten that bad? Pansy had stopped talking to him, but he had though of that as a relief. She looked positively awful. Crabe and Goyle were the same mindless brutes, so not much of a change happened there. But he had noticed Theodore become even more withdrawn. His father had broken out of Azkaban, and Draco wondered if that had set off all of their acerbic countenances. He wouldn't have thought that the quidditch game had been won, and that all of them had celebrated. Things would get a lot worse for them all.

Draco ate his breakfast in mild silence as Blaise fell short on his answers. He looked up to the Gryffindor table and saw that they were very much the same. They were lucky in their own way, at least now.

When it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts, the Slytherins were obviously split in two. Draco knew very well where he would have been if not for Harmony. Leighton must have noticed as well as he looked at their guarded stances. "I hope you are all thinking happy thoughts," he said, "because today we will be practicing the incantation." It didn't look like his house mates were so enthused, but Draco felt otherwise. His spirits were uncommonly high, and he watched Harmony from the corner of his eye. She stood with her dorky circle glasses and rubbed the side of her face. Draco noticed that he wasn't the only one spying her. Ron had his death glare aimed at the girl looking boy, and Draco wondered if she noticed. Harmony was standing next to Nevile, and Draco wondered what a scene he would make if he went over to her. It's not like his friendship with her was secret, and as long as they didn't know the complete specifics as to why he was so interested in her, Draco didn't see the harm in going to the Gryffindor side. Half of his house already despised him, and the rest wouldn't dare talk to him.

Draco stayed where he was, and ignored as Kingscross spouted his nonsense. He was reminded that he still needed to come up with a nick name for Harmony. He didn't want her to be referred to as Cub any longer. "And then you say expecto patronum. Any questions?" Draco looked up from where he leaned against the wall and picked at his nails. Harmony appeared to be worlds away as she stared blankly ahead. No one said anything, and Kingscross cracked his knuckles. "Alright, the begin."

Draco lifted himself careful from the wall and watched as the students waved their wands and said expecto patronum with minimal results. Some of them had mist come out, but that was only the Gryffindors. The only one who had a patronus, besides Leighton, was Harmony. Her stag leaped across the walls and the weaponry glowed as it passed. He had to admit that she was impressive. She went around giving tips to the others, and he knew that the Slytherins were listening in on her. Draco watched her move around the classroom, and he wondered what name would fit her.

She had a little bit of everything in her. She wasn't just Gryffindor. She had the best qualities of most of the houses. Even as a slytherin, she was quite sly. Draco paused as the last word was repeated in his mind. He smiled. Though she wouldn't have made a good slytherin, she still had ambition and cunning. It was surprising that so few had discovered that she was a girl. But it was better this way, and Draco didn't want any other guys getting any bright ideas. Not that they were competition, but the fact that he knew a part of her that no one else did was something that he could relish. She was very sly, in her own way. He knew the nick name to give her, and as she came close, he waved her over.

She frowned at him, and Draco could read the emotions on her so well. "Hey Potter," he said and smirked, "mind telling me your happiest thought." She looked up at him before looking around them. There were some people watching them, but Draco didn't care.

"It changes," she said, and he stepped closer to her. "Sometimes I think of my parents, or my friends, of Sirius," she hesitated on the last name, "it's all different." Draco nodded his head, and almost felt sorry that most of those she loved were already dead. They were all people that she loved, and Draco wanted her to think of him.

"I see," Draco said.

"Then you let this thought or memory fill you up." He knew which memory. Their kiss still made his face relax, made his heart pump harder. She gave a little smile, and Draco watched her lips intently. "Then you say."

"Expecto patronus," they said in unison. Draco let the kiss fill his mind, till his own lips tingled from the memory. A white light began to form from his wand, and a glowing mass lurched out. They watched as the light took form, and Draco almost smiled as a large cat like shape pounced through the room. They both knew what it was.

"I thought of a nick name for you," Draco said softly as his patronus began to dissipate. He turned to her and put down his wand. "it's sly." He stood in front of her, and didn't even care that she looked like a boy.

"Sly," she said softly, "I like it." He was tempted to reach out and touch her, to feel her soft unruly hair. Her eyes widened as if she had read his thoughts, and she stepped back. "I, er." Harmony stumbled through her words and Draco leaned against the wall once more. "Congrats," she said at last. Draco smirked down at her.

"What the bloody hell!" Draco and Harmony both turned to see Ron pointing at them in disbelief. "Is anyone else seeing this?" Draco frowned at the red head.

"Piss off," Draco said, "no one cares about what you think, Weasley."

"Yeah, and what would your girlfriend think if she caught you staring at Harry?" Draco grinned at the boy and laughed. Draco liked how girlfriend sounded to him.

"She would think how dreamy he is," Draco laughed, "I don't know, she's quite partial to Harry."

"Ron," Harmony said in a low voice, "you are really asking for it. Stop behaving like such an insufferable prat." She pulled out her wand and faced him.

"You wouldn't," Ron sneered, "no. I don't think that you can."

"You want to bet," Harmony glared at her friend, "cause we both know how lousy you are with bets."

"Can't you see he's turning us against each other," Ron stormed closer to her. Now they had the entire rooms focus, and Leighton watched from his desk. "He doesn't deserve to be your friend."

"Ouch," Draco said, "that almost hurt, Weasley." Draco continued to smirk. By this point, Ron looked like a plump cherry, ready to pop. He lifted his wand and pointed it at Draco.

"You'll regret this," Ron spat. Before Ron could get a curse out, he was tied with invisible ropes that bound his arms, legs, and mouth. The students parted as Leighton hopped off from his desk and flipped his wand in the air.

"I have one rule," Leighton said, "don't use what I teach against another student." Leighton looked down at Ron and shrugged, "Do you know what happens to students who break the rule, Ronald?" Ron whimpered at the man's feet. "That's three hundred muggle push ups. Starting now." Ron's face was beginning to lose color. When the binds fell from his body, he jerked and sat up shakily. Draco couldn't help but smirk as Ron began to sputter incoherent words.

"You're- No. How," he stopped when Leighton's face remained unchanged.

"I'm counting." Ron got onto his knees and put his hands in front of his body. "Heck, you can even do girly push ups if you want." Ron's face was mortified as the Slytherins laughed at his predicament. He felt his body shake as it strained to do even one. "All the way." Ron's face flushed with embarrassment as he sucked in a shuttering breath. He collapsed on the floor by the fourth one, and Leighton sighed. "That's enough," he said, "since I stopped you before you hurt anybody. But meet me after class in my office, Ronald." Ron stood up quickly and shook his head.

"Yes, Sir." He turned around and marched with a flaming downcast head to Hermione. Leighton shooed the onlookers with his hands and went back to his desk.

"Did I tell you guys to stop?" Immediately, the words Expecto and Patrunos filled the room, and Leighton nodded his head in approval. "Remember, happy thoughts!"

Harmony turned to Draco. "I'm sorry, about him. He get's like this sometimes." Draco brushed the hair from his eyes, and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's not your fault, Weasley just needs to grow up." Draco smiled at her. "It's too bad the weasel doesn't have an ounce of tact in his whole body."

"Yeah," Harmony rubbed her eyes from under her glasses, "Hermione has the sense to teach him. I'm gonna see if any one else needs help," she said.

"Alright," Draco said, "i'll see you later Sly." She smiled at him before wandering off. Draco could only think of her for the remainder of class, and when Leighton did send them off, Draco watched Harmony go. He barely even noticed Blaise come at his side, and stare at him oddly.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

"Weasly's just jealous," Draco said.

"And you and Potter, there is something about about you two that you're hiding." Draco sometimes forgot how sharp Blaise could be. He wondered briefly why he had always hung out with the trolls Crabe and Goyle. They didn't do him any justice.

"We were trying to hide that we were friendly," Draco said cautiously.

"There is something else though." Draco looked around them to make sure that the others weren't sticking their ears at him. "it's the way you look at him." Blaise frowned, "like constantly." Draco couldn't flat out say that he was in love with Potter. Was he really that obvious?

"That's revolting, is that how I look?" Draco snorted, "before we know it they'll think that-"

"You got the hots for Potter. If I didn't know better, I'd think the same as well. But you're not a poof, Draco. I can't exactly figure it out, but I know when somethings up."

"Why do you care?" Draco asked, unfazed.

"I don't," Blaise shrugged his shoulders, "but it's still more interesting than school."

"Tell me when you figure it out," Draco said, "if there is in fact something even up." Blaise laughed at Draco.

"Oh, but I will," Blaise walked off, "you've been slipping up, Draco."

Draco looked around once more, hoping that no one else had figured as much as Blaise. If any one who actually wanted to hurt him found out, it would mean trouble. He had been a love struck fool, but he was glad that it was Blaise who had warned him. As Draco went back to the dungeons he saw Nott looking like he had been wearing his own make-me-disgruntled-locket. Nott sneered at him, and Draco thought there was something terrible in the boy's eyes, something akin to a mad man's glare. When their eyes met, Nott winked at him before they passed, and Draco wondered if perhaps they all had finally lost it. He didn't even know if it mattered anymore.

* * *

End of Chapter 25

Most of you got the other question right, so how bout another one.

Who do you think will figure out that Harmony is a girl?


	26. Chapter 26 Mesmerized

**Harmony Lives**  
Chapter 26 Mesmerized

Cause I love you guys, here's one chapter to read while procrastinating during finals (or whatever is so pressing in your lives).

Disclaimiorius: Harry Potter belongs to J K Rowling. I am not JK Rowling. I am actually Harry Potter and I escaped from the written page to tell you the true story of what happened to me. No more of the lies.

* * *

Snape's detention was much different than Draco had expected. For one, they weren't cleaning cauldrons with their toothbrushes, and secondly, it had been much more of a learning process than his actual class. Of course it had been a lesson of occlumnecy, but it was something Draco needed. He had to block everyone from finding out more about him and Harmony. He wasn't an open book for the other students' enjoyment.

It was simple enough. Guard everything in his mind, and close off all other thoughts. "_Legilimens_!" Snape shouted. Draco took a step back as he felt Snape's mind intrude in his thoughts. He guarded himself well, as he hid the most precious things. He allowed his face to remain impassive as Snape left him empty handed.

"Very good," Snape said and Harmony's mouth dropped.

"Really? I've been working my butt off for months, and he gets it within minutes! Oh Merlin."

"Precisely Potter, and we'll do it for months and months till you finally get it." Snape looked sour as he thought of all of the time that that would ensue. Too long even for a sane man. "But perhaps Malfoy can help, or else give you incentive enough to hide something from him. A secret or something delightfully embarrassing. There is a lot, you know." Harmony turned red, and Draco wondered if the girl had lived half her life embarrassing herself. He wouldn't be surprised if it was true, by the way she glared at Snape. "Alright," Snape turned on him, "shall we go again?"

"Yes," Draco said, and immediately he felt the strain of Snape's mind on him. The man dug as if he could rip out chunks of Draco's thoughts, and Draco sealed up his mind even more, determined to give the older man nothing.

"Better," Snape said and left Draco, he turned to Harmony and the girl stiffened. "ready?" It looked like he didn't give her any time to guard herself at all. Draco could tell that Harmony had everything in a nice neat package for Snape to ravage through. He almost felt sorry for her. Snape frowned at the girl. "Are you even trying?"

"Yes!" Harmony said in exasperation. "I am." She puffed out her chest and took off her glasses. She looked at them as a girl. "I'm not getting it," she said. Draco had to stop himself from looking at her for too long. He had control.

"Draco, I will teach you _legillimens_. Look into her eyes and say the word. Go past her eyes and see into her mind. Push your own mind forward, looking for anything. Alright?"

"Yes, but are you sure that I should be doing this, Sir?" Draco asked. This certainly was beyond illegal, not to mention completely intrusive.

"Try it on me first then," Snape said, "and I will block you out." Draco did as he was told, and Snape did indeed have everything bottled up somewhere too deep for anyone to penetrate. It was like going into a black expanse of nothing, a deep ocean with something dangerous lurking there. Draco pulled away and felt a slight headache forming. "That is how your mind should be blocked." Snape said, "now try on Harmony." Harmony at first didn't meet his eyes, and Draco didn't blame her. He wouldn't want her plunging into his deepest thoughts and memories. When she did look into his gray eyes, Draco went right past her green windows and everything was there. he could sense her fear and the way that she tried to scramble her thoughts away. He could sense all of her emotions as if they were his own. Draco didn't want to go digging, but easily scooped up her memories as if she were a shallow pound, with her thoughts as fish.

It didn't help that he was curious as well. It was all treasure to him, something that was a part of Harmony that he now knew. The first memory he caught was a very ugly fat man with a purple face spitting at a younger boy looking Potter. Draco passed up that memory quickly and turned to her thoughts. 'I can't' he picked up, "I hope he doesn't see'. This made Draco even more curious, but something in the way her thoughts were scared made Draco pull away. He left with a small thought of his own. 'You have to really want me out' Draco told her. Harmony gasped as Draco left her thoughts. She didn't look at him as she tried to catch her breath. Draco felt awful for intruding into her thoughts.

"Professor," Draco said, "What if she tried to go into my mind, and see how I block my thoughts, then maybe it won't be so bad." Snape seemed to regard him with interest. He put his fingers to his chin and brushed his long fingers to his black hair.

"I suppose it won't hurt," Snape said, as if it was a lost cause any way. Harmony looked surprised at Draco, and he tried to give her an encouraging smile in return.

"Alright," she said, meeting his gray eyes "here goes nothing. _Legillemens_." Draco felt her mind poke into his head almost hesitantly. He easily blocked out his most precious memories and allowed only his mundane ones present. He even guarded his thoughts from hers and occasionally said something to her. 'It's alright,' Draco thought, 'try to break through deeper.' He felt as Harmony grazed the surface of his mind. She went further, and Draco smiled at her progress. She snatched one of his memories of when he had been three, and had received his first toy broom. He forced her to let that go, and he reorganized his mind. A brilliant idea occurred to him as he made her see certain things. Of him watching her play quidditch and admitting that she was very good. How he watched her from across the great hall, and heard as he wondered about her. Draco could tell that she was interested as she went further into his mind. But this was dangerous for her as well, if she went too far without knowing where she was going. Draco lead her out, he pushed her from his mind gently at first, then completely without warning.

She took a step back with wide eyes as their connection broke. "Wow," she said.

"I know that I have such an enthralling mind, but I hoped that you learned something." They looked at each other, and Draco could almost see her thoughts flit from behind her eyes. They were rather green and inviting and Draco was tempted to drift into her thoughts and learn more about her.

"Yes," Harmony said, "I'm ready."

"_Legillimens_," Draco said and dove into her mind. It was as if all of her emotions were like an open book, that Draco could flip through. All he had to do was know where to look. He wanted to know what she thought of him. As he dug for that, he noticed that some of her memories slipped from his grasp, and he almost had to force his way into the heart of them. Draco saw a memory of Harmony and him played before him. He watched as she, as Harry Potter, watched him in potions class. She was sitting near him, and the Draco that was next to her had his finger on the book, and telling her instructions which she wasn't listening to. It was like looking at himself from a photograph, as if certain things that she liked, she stared longer at. He could feel the emotion coming off of her, this was a peaceful memory, and soon it dissolved from around him, either from it ending or from Harmony forcing him away. He hadn't known that she stared at him during potions. He had only thought that she was in her own little la la land, but he smiled now. It seemed like Harmony was trying to push his mind away, faintly like a huff of annoyed breath.

Draco brushed passed her meager defense and went further. He wanted to know more, almost like a man who had never tasted something as rich as wine. He saw Harmony as a boy looking inside a mirror with two people staring and waving at him. He felt Harmony's longing fill him, as he looked at what Draco realized were her parents. He placed the memory where he found it and felt Harmony's loneliness linger on to him. Draco almost wanted the girl to fight him before he took something from her that he shouldn't.

He didn't want to do damage, and he could tell that she was getting exhausted. He looked at one last memory, and with horror he realized it was one of the Dark Lord. Her fear grew on him, as he saw the girl pinned to a grave stone and Cedric dead to the side. A man, with a rat like face, had a knife to the boy trapped and unable to do anything as the Dark Lord was resurrected. Draco watched, mesmerized, as they both stared into blood red eyes. He felt stricken with fear as the Dark Lord laughed at them. Draco ripped himself from that memory and from her mind. He almost fell into the chair behind him, and almost expected those red eyes to follow him. He remembered his Father talking about that night. Lucious had been there for what he called the resurrection of their Lord. Draco felt sick from thinking of that. The Dark Lord was hideous, and Draco still felt the grief and fear ebb at his thoughts. Harmony had so many raw emotions, that it was no wonder that the girl couldn't sort them all out in her head.

They looked at each other, and Harmony mumbled an apology. "Don't be," Draco said, "just guard yourself well." Snape watched them from his desk, and it seemed like the man was agreeable to their progress.

"Very good," he said and tapped the wood of his desk methodically. "Do you two need a break, or do you want to quit."

"No," Harmony said, "I believe that it is my turn." Snape nodded his head, pleased.

"Alright," he said and looked at Draco.

"Focus, Harmony," Draco said, "know how I am blocking my memories and thoughts from you."

"_Legillimens_!" Harmony delved into his mind, and came out almost empty handed. She went deeper, forcing her way into his thoughts. He felt her go blindly against him, and Draco presented a memory which he thought frequently of. It was the time that they had their first date, as he liked to call it, at Hogsmead. It was a simple memory as he walked with his arm around her, touching her bare shoulder. It brought him something akin to happiness, as he allowed a passing thought to be noticed. The one word, beautiful, left him, and Harmony pulled away abruptly.

When he looked at her, her face looked slightly amazed and then a light pink dusted her cheeks. Draco really wanted to know what she was thinking.

"That's enough for now," Snape said and they both turned to him as the man watched them closely, as if he saw what they had both seen. "I'll assign another detention soon enough. Good night."

Draco and Harmony shakily disembarked from his office, and Draco didn't want to part quite yet.

"I'll walk you half way," he said, "to the Great Hall."

"You don't have to," Harmony said quickly, "I can make it."

"I want to," he said, and Harmony regarded him closely with her green eyes.

"If you must," she said, and they walked together.

"Do you think that these detentions will show on our records?" Draco asked, looking for something that was light. "Because I'm wondering how it will look, by the end of the year with your 100 detentions with Snape."

"To hell if I know," Harmony shrugged, "they'll think he hates me and that I really didn't give a damn about his class. I don't care so much either way."

"Well, he's probably not keeping track," Draco kept to her slow pace, and Harmony carefully set her head straight ahead. "Does your head hurt?" he asked, feeling a slight migraine at work behind his left eye.

"Like its throbbing and somebody just stuck a spoon in my head and swirled everything around."

"Oh," Draco said, feeling bad for his only slight irritation, "sorry about that."

"It's OK, Snape uses a sledge hammer compared to you." Harmony gave a small laugh, but Draco doubted that she was joking.

"You don't mind me being there?" Draco asked. She looked at him sideways and Draco looked into her girl like appearance while he had the chance.

"Of course there are a few things that I would rather keep to myself, but it's not so bad as I first thought it would be with you. It's helping too," she said. "Thanks."

"You thank me a lot," Draco said aloud, as if he hadn't thought of it entirely, "I think you give me too much credit."

"No," Harmony said, "I'm grateful. You surprise me." she said.

"I thinks it's me who should be thanking you," Draco said. They stopped in front of the Great Hall, and Draco touched her jet black hair. He could almost read everything in her green eyes, and as if she noticed, she closed them. He smiled down at her, and he let his hand drop to his side and stray to her own hands. She didn't pull away as they had been practicing all night. She looked down at the hands that were holding hers. "Good night," he said, and let her go.

"Good night," she said, and grinned at him. Draco left even as his body wished that he had just leaned down and kissed her senselessly. He brushed his hands together, feeling the lingering warmth of her hands. He wanted to roam that warmth, and Draco had to stop himself from thinking further than that.

He needed to keep himself in control or else he'd scare her off. Perhaps she knew just how bold boys could get, but he knew that she had never gotten anywhere near that close to a girl. The only thing close enough had been Granger's hugs and at the Yule Ball when she danced with Lavender or Patil, he couldn't remember which. He gripped his hands, and thought of the memories that he had come across as he made his way back to his bed. When he closed his eyes, the last thing he thought of was green watching him intently.

* * *

end of Chapter 26

I'm on the 33 chapter of this story, and almost near the end. I even have parts of the epilogue ready. Do you think the other characters will be in relationships, and if so, with whom? I have one interesting answer already, so have fun reading.


	27. Chapter 27 Merging

**Harmony Lives**  
Chapter 27 The Merging

**Disclaimius**: In case you have forgotten, _Harry Potter_ belongs to JK Rowling.

* * *

The chill of the February air permeated through the potions class room, and Harmony rested her head against the coarse, deeply rigged wood. She watched as the cauldron bubbled and sent a warm blue light against her cooled cheeks. She wondered how long she could stay with her head on the desk before Snape said anything. The last time she had made three minutes. Her hand neared the flame and warmed up to its glowing. The ring on her finger danced with a faint red color, and Harmony glanced at Draco who watched the timer on their desk. She could read him better, tell when something was bothering him. It must have been from all of that time they practiced Occlumency, that hinted at certain things behind his gray eyes. Draco turned the timer over, and the black streamed from the tiny opening at the center. He stirred the potion counter clockwise twice, and noticed Harmony's current state of boredom.

"You may learn something if you actually paid attention, Sly," he said. Draco had started using that instead of Potter whenever they were in class.

"Doesn't matter," Harmony inched closer to the blue flames, "Snape is gonna fail me any way."

"It's not about failing or passing," Draco said, "potions can be helpful."

"Sure," Harmony said, "then I'm glad that at least one of us will know." Harmony lifted her potions book in front of her head, so that maybe Snape wouldn't see her. She glanced at Draco once more, knowing that potions occupied most of his attention. Since the locket had been destroyed, Harmony didn't feel like someone else's emotions were clouding her judgment. It started slowly at first, but she began to feel like she did before the locket. Even before Sirius died. A nervous kind of excitement bubbled inside of her, something which made her mind drift and think of things which she had tried to bury. Like that kiss. She noticed other things about Draco. He didn't stare at her during the Great Hall anymore, not that she paid any more attention to him than what was necessary.

"Alright, I'm going to add the hornet's stinger in," Draco said, "so I'd back away from the cauldron if I were you." Harmony lifted her head and followed Draco's hands as he carefully placed in the stinger. A cloud of smoke emptied from the sides, and Harmony remembered when he had held her hands the night they went flying.

Even though Harmony caught him less and less looking at her, she still knew that he had his thoughts set on her. He was careful, and it was no wonder that he surpassed her at occlumency already. Class was nearly over, and Harmony turned her attention to the other partners in the room. Snape had done something right with the pairs that he constructed, and there were fewer cases of fight interrupting between partners now that half of the school year had past. "Are you going to the Valentine's dance?" Draco asked suddenly as he mixed the cauldron. Harmony had banged her head that morning when Dumbledore had pleasantly announced that there would be a Valentines day dance scheduled. Valentine's day had never been something that she had looked forward to, and Harmony didn't have the heart to ask a girl anymore.

"Nah," she mumbled, "probably not."

Draco smirked at the girl. "Great, I'm not either," he said, "we should celebrate it together." Harmony chuckled at him. "I'm sure that there is something fun we could do alone."

"Like what?" she asked, as if he could actually convince her.

"We could have our own party," he said.

"Two people don't make a party," Harmony countered.

"Oh, right, how silly of me, two people make a couple." Harmony smiled back at Draco.

"That's limiting quite a lot. Plus why would I ditch one party to go to another?"

"Why would you ditch the party in the first place then?" Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Exactly. You don't have to go there with anyone, if that's what is holding you back." Draco watched her closely. "Unless you really want to be alone."

Harmony rested her head once more on the desk, not meeting his eyes on purpose. "Perhaps something will change my mind by then, but who knows."

"Right," Draco said as he measured the last bit of the potion before dumping the contents. "a lot can happen from now." The cauldron blew out as Draco finished the potion, and Harmony frowned at the lack of warmth. she rested her head atop her arm and sighed. She briefly wondered if Draco would ask her to the dance.

She left Potions alone and with her mind elsewhere while on her way to charms. Maybe she made herself into an easy target, especially without Ron and Hermione at her sides to back her up. But her housemates were close enough to watch as a spell drenched her in ice cold water, waking her up from her thoughts. Harmony gasped as her robes flooded and and water snaked around her torso and swept down her legs. When she turned around, many of the Slytherins were laughing and pointing at her. She wasn't sure who had cast it, and Harmony shivered in her wet shoes as she glared at them. Her only consolation was that no one could see her not so male figure in the thick cloaks she wore.

She pulled out her wand and slicked her wet hair from getting into her eyes, "who cast that?" she demanded. The laughter increased, and it was as if she were up against most of the Slytherin house. "Ya bloody coward!" They continued walking in the hall, and some of them bumped into her.

"It's just a little water, Potter," Pansy laughed, "it suites you well." Harmony pointed her wand at the girl. "Easy Potter, it wasn't me."

It didn't matter to her as the girl's ears began to elongate like an elephants. "That suites you too, Parkinson." Pansy cried out in alarm, and shielded her growing ears from those around her.

"How dare you," the girl shot, "You're dead!" Some of the Gryffindors laughed at Parkinson's elephant ears and the girl left in distress. No one else came forward to say who had cast the spell. Harmony couldn't believe that she still didn't know the spell to clear the water from her soaked body. She shivered in her cloak and her shoes squelched with water. She hated the _Madidus_ spell. Her house mates hung back a bit, to make sure that nothing else would happen before leaving as well.

All at once the water left her shivering body and Harmony noticed Hermione as she passed her with a worried look. Harmony nodded her head, and mouthed back a thank you. She didn't have enough time to change for Charms, to make all of the dampness leave, and Harmony sat at her desk with cold feet. At least she didn't have to worry about the Ravenclaws making her life miserable.

The rest of the day passed uneventful, and Harmony hoped that whoever was angry with her, would be satisfied. She just wished the Slytherins wouldn't be such sneaky cowards. She left the common room with Ginny who had been waiting for her. "You look bothered," Ginny said.

"I feel better now, I had an hour hot shower," she said.

"That's good, though I heard what happened earlier. You know who did it?"

"Nope," Harmony shrugged her shoulders. "But that's typical."

"Snape didn't see?" she asked.

"No, but he would have given me a detention if he had seen it." Harmony shivered as a draft of cold wind hit her face. They reached a stairwell which they usually met, and Draco leaned against the banister in a relaxed manner. "Hello," he said when they got close, and she allowed the magic to drop from her face. She hooked her glasses into her shirt collar, and Ginny cocked her head to the side.

"You look a little different," Ginny said.

"Hm, in what way?" Harmony joined Draco on the banister, aware that her hand brushed against his. A small smile escaped her, and Harmony covered it with puffed cheeks.

"Like, you're voice, and the fact that you're not twelve anymore." Harmony snorted.

"What am I? Thirteen now." Harmony grumbled and made an effort to make her voice lower.

"Like you've caught up," Draco said, "you looked fourteen last month."

"Thanks guys," Harmony muttered. They could hear Luna skipping before they actually saw her. She had her wand tucked behind her ear.

"Come on guys," Luna hopped on the steps. They walked to Leighton's room and he greeted them, on the floor at his feet, were a few woodland creatures with different wounds. There was a limping fox in a cage, a bird with a trailing wing, a squirrel with burn marks, and a boar with a huge gash by its face.

"Quick, quick," Leighton waved them in, "we have patients."

"You didn't do that to them, did you Honey Dukes?" Luna asked.

"No, I went through the forest looking for wounded animals, and then brought them in. None of them were harmed by me." Harmony analyzed a mouse who looked damaged beyond repair. As if it had been squished by a careless bear romping through the forest.

"So for the fox, what would we use to mend the bone?"

"Maybe _Ferula_," Harmony said, "to splint the leg. And then _Episkey_, to heal it a bit."

"Good," Leighton said, "now try it." Harmony went over to the growling fox and tried the two spells. Instantly the fox stopped growling and bent its head down. Leighton turned to the boar.

"This wound is a bit worse, who knows which spell for this?" Leighton called on Luna.

"Either _Medimento_ or _Vulnera Sanentur_," Luna said, "Both will work". Leighton waved his hand for her to perform the spell. Next he presented the bird who flitted in the cage to Ginny.

"_Ferula_ to mend and _Fascius_ to bandage the wound," Ginny said. Leighton pointed the mouse to Draco.

"Alright Frisker," Draco twitched, "what would you do for this little guy?" The mouse looked to be already dead and would sometimes sporadically jerk its legs.

"I'd bury it," Draco muttered, "Unless _Consenesco, Medimento, Fascius, _and_ Ferula_ could work."

"Alright," Leighton looked at the mouse, "I'd think all of those spells would give it a heart attack. What would you do if that happened?" It looked like Draco wanted to throw the mouse at the eighteen year old's face in response.

"_Animum Pulsare_," Draco said.

"Yes, but it's a mouse, if you use that it might make the mouse's heart beat too much till it explodes."

"Then I would _Animum Quiesce_ it, and slow its heart beat, all the while thinking very hard that it is a mouse and will need much more controlled magic."

"Very good," Leighton said, "but it's too late, the mouse just died." Draco glared at the man and tried the different spells on the mouse anyway. The mouse jerked whenever a spell hit it, and it looked much better without the ribs and innards poking through. It was a very cute mouse by the time Draco finished. And then with a final touch, _Animum pulsare_, the heart restarter, the mouse twitched and lived once more .

"Ah," Leighton said, "that's very good, even if the heart has stopped, it is still possible to revive it once more as long as the neurons of the brain are still firing. You saved it just in time." The mouse looked up from the ground and stared at Leighton in fear. It squeaked and scampered to Draco. The squirrel with the charred black fur, was easily fixed with a wave of Leighton's wand, when he told them the incantation. The squirrel combed its ear before jumping from the table and scrabbling in every direction.

"It seems like you guys have mastered the basic healing arts. These will save you in a dire situation. There are more complex spells that trained medi-wizards know. But for now, we will continue with something new, Wizard Dueling. I heard that you got the basic outline two years ago, but I want to build from that. We won't go over the structure of wizard dueling, since most of the time you wont be able to stand around and take turns firing. So everyone knows _expelliarmus_, right?" Four heads nodded their heads. "Technically wizard dueling never incorporates any physical contact, though I like to throw a good punch whenever I can. It gives the element of surprise, and wizards aren't so used to close range combat, It cuts their reaction time in half and makes them think that they are fighting a mad man. Heck, if you get lucky, and have your opponent in a head lock, or arm lock, then you win." He looked at their unconvinced faces. "Don't tell me you guys don't know any physical combat. Wrestling?" They shook their heads. "You know how to punch right."

"I've been punched a lot," Harmony said, "does that count?"

"No. But at least you can take a few punches. How about we go over some 'muggle' fighting, before we learn more spells? It will be fun. Take off your outer cloaks, they'll get in the way." Harmony noticed Draco twitch his hand as they piled their black cloaks on his desk. "I'll teach you guys ways to bring down a man twice my size. Let's go over the proper way to punch. Hold your fist and arms like so," Leighton demonstrated. "If you are small and your opponent out weighs you, then it is best to be as swift and fast as possible. This way you land ten punches by the time he tries to do one. Hold out your hands, and punch." All of them tried. I want you all to punch the air for a minute with everything you got. Imagine the worst monster you can, and pulverize them. Begin."

Harmony pictured Voldemort and his bald snake face as she punched the air in front of her. She went at every direction, and threw in some kicks to his groin. It would have been fun, but she tired after twenty seconds. She didn't stop as her arms burned from the excursion. "Keep going," Leighton said, "this is your personal monster you are fighting, give it a good fight." Harmony lashed out at her invisible Voldemort, and felt the satisfaction of his jaw moving and everything. She'd show him. "Done," Leighton said. Harmony turned to Draco and saw him smirking. It was obvious who his personal monster was, considering that he was glaring at the man in a self satisfied kind of way. Harmony almost laughed but she was too out of breath.

"Now we will go into basic grappling. Alright Frisker, I'll demonstrate on you". Draco looked at him in disbelief , as the older teen motioned him to stand in front of him. "First is the head lock." Draco had no warning as his head was squished by Leighton's muscular arm in a barbaric fashion. "To get out of this, you need to rotate your body so that your arm goes in front of the other person's body. Next, place your leg behind and between theirs. Lean back so that your leg trips them. Then you pummel them with anything you can. Now you try Frisker." Draco followed Leighton's instructions, though the older teen was still much heavier and sturdier. Draco only managed to break free before he was once again held down. "This is the bear hug," Leighton said from behind Draco with his arms around him. By now, Harmony could tell how furious Draco was getting. "I like this hold. There are many ways to escape from this lock. But react as fast as you can, or else the attacker will just lift you up, and either crush you or knock you into something. The best thing to do is drop your weight down and break free from their arms." Harmony could see the indignation flash in Draco's eyes. He broke free, and this time took a few steps away from him. "Why don't you girls take turns", Leighton said. "And remember that the groin is a great place to bring a guy down." Draco made sure that he was out of reach for this demonstration. "A swift kick will do the trick."

"Can you demonstrate the next lock on me?" Harmony asked, not wanting Draco to do something in his annoyance. "Like you really mean it." Draco looked at Harmony from the corner of his eyes, with something akin to shock.

"Sure, Sly," Leighton said. Harmony stood next to him as the man demonstrated various arm locks and body binds. Whenever she met Draco's eyes though, he looked even more disturbed, and Harmony couldn't read why. Leighton held her firmly with a gentle undertone as she was pinned and told how to get out. He was strong and must have weighed twice her weight. He could easily pick her up and over power her. Sometimes it was like he wasn't even using force, but she still had to struggle against him to get free. She didn't think that she would have a wrestling match with Voldemort, or any of the death eaters, but she felt like she needed to learn some defense. Plus she would have the upper hand against anyone if their wands were gone.

She didn't think anything as his hard chest pressed against her back, or if he held her too tightly. She just thought it strange the way Draco was looking more and more upset from it all. "Now if a boy has you pinned down," Leighton said, looking at each of them in turn, and holding Harmony's hands behind her back, "remember there are ways to fight." He had her on her back before she knew it, pinned at her shoulder with a strong hand. The rest on his body wasn't touching her, and was kneeling next to her. She looked up at him in shock, and knew that he would be too heavy to throw off. "If you don't have anything, and you are desperate, use magic. A burst of wandless magic, is just as powerful as a fist to the face." Harmony realized how close he was, and why Draco had been looking at them oddly. She grabbed his arm, and with the thought that she did not want to be manhandled, a burst of magic from her hands threw him off.

"I think that's enough," Harmony said.

"Alright," Leighton stood up and rolled his shoulder blades. "Let's call it a night," he said, "and don't forget to practice on your own time."

"Goodnight," they said, and Harmony straightened up as best she could. She still felt a bit winded, and she didn't want to admit that she had been wrong to think that wrestling with Leighton had been a good idea. She only thought of him as a friend, but that didn't stop her from being a girl. Draco still looked upset as he threw on his coat, and went for the door.

Harmony waited for Ginny and Luna, and hoped that they wouldn't mention how close Leighton had gotten to her. She was wrong as Ginny grabbed on to her arm and leaned into her. "That was something," Luna said, as she skipped next to them. Harmony closed the door and didn't look back to see if Leighton was still there.

"Yeah," Harmony muttered.

"that could have been really hot," Ginny added, which didn't help matters. "What were you thinking, you sly dog."

"Nothing," Harmony trudged on, "which is why these things happen to me."

"It's alright, neither of you meant it in a bad way. Our heads are just in the gutter, where the gnomes are." Luna said.

"Whatever," Harmony said, and let the subject drop. She remembered to put on her Potter mask.

"Has Draco asked you to the Valentine's day dance yet?" Ginny asked.

"No," Harmony said abruptly, and paused "I told him that I probably wasn't going."

"Oh Harmony," Ginny sighed, "you don't have to be shy." Harmony frowned at the girl.

"It's Valentine's day. I'm not going with anyone."

"Go solo," Luna said, "that's quite fashionable, in its own lonesome way."

"I hate Valentine's day." Harmony said, "what? Are you two going?" Ginny grinned at them.

"Micheal asked me, and I said yes," Ginny said.

"Weren't you just thinking about Dean Thomas?" Harmony asked.

"Yeah, but its hard to work with a guy who doesn't make a move on you."

"I'm going alone," Luna said, "which is fine for me."

"Any way, people will begin to notice if you don't show up. At least go part time as Harry." Ginny said and took a few steps ahead.

"I'll decide later if I want to go," she said.

"I'll see you two tomorrow," Luna waved and took the path to the Ravenclaw dorm.

"Ginny," Harmony looked at the girl, "What do you think about Draco?" She gave a half smile at Harmony.

"Before, I hated his guts. Even more when he started to take notice of you in the beginning of the year. It just infuriated me. He's alright now. He's still obnoxious, but it doesn't matter what I think about him. What matters is what you think."

"Hmm," Harmony shrugged her shoulders, "I suppose." But Harmony didn't want to be persuaded into something she didn't want to do. It didn't matter if someone wanted her to go to the dance, she'd go if she needed to sort out what Draco meant to her.

* * *

A few days had passed since she had been drenched in water, and Harmony had put it behind her. It was after classes when she was going to meet up with Ginny and Luna in the library, when she got the feeling like something was following her. The feeling didn't leave her when she checked that no one was behind her. She picked up her pace, and could have sworn that she heard foot steps. She made it to the library, and sat with the girls at a table. "Hey," Harmony said, "I think I have a stalker."

"What's new about that?" Ginny asked with her quill tickling her nose. "You got about a thousand of them."

"No," she whispered, "this one is creepily flowing me." She looked behind her shoulder.

"Maybe someone shot you with a paranoia curse," Luna said, "I get those a lot."

"I think we need to do something fun," Ginny said, "outside." Ginny shut her book, and put a hand on Harmony's, stopping her from taking out a Charms assignment. "We've been cooped in here so long, that we're going crazy."

"It's almost dark," Luna said.

"Almost," Ginny nodded, "which means that there is still light." They shoved their books in their bag, and Harmony, Ginny and Luna pulled on their warm stuff and jumped into the snow. "The wind is perfect!" she shouted, "_Milvus_!" A yellow kite trailed from the end of her wand and shot into the sky. Harmony and Luna sprung kites from their own wands and ran ankle deep in snow. A light flurry sprinkled their hair and Harmony balled snow in her gloves. She chucked it at Ginny, and sped off.

"I'll get you!" Ginny shouted. Harmony had forgotten that the girl knew the snowball chasing spell, and soon a ball of snow hit the back of her head, knocking the glasses from her face. She grabbed a fistful of snow and aimed it at Luna. The girl hopped away, and Harmony caught a snowball that Ginny had thrown.

"Hah!" They ran back in, when their fingers were ready to freeze off and the sun was almost sucked into the ground. They laughed as they barged into the castle, not caring about who saw them. She almost went head long into the Slytherins.

"_Castreo_!" The Slytherins laughed as a spell caused a blow to her crotch. She winced, when it hit her, but otherwise it didn't leave her gasping on the floor with tears if she had been a boy. Crabe, Goyle, Pazy, Nott, and Blaise howled with laughter as Harmony glared at them.

"What Potter?" Blaise sneered, "got no balls?"

Harmony smirked back at them, "Nah, I just got balls of steel."

"Hah, you wish," Nott said from where he leaned against the wall, he flipped his wand in the air and grinned. "You better watch yourself, Potter. There's more of this waiting for you."

"I'm not scared of you guys," she said, and walked passed them, "you're pathetic." Nott narrowed his eyes at her and grinned.

"You won't be saying that soon," he said and Pansy laughed shrilly.

"See you around Potter," Blaise waved at her.

* * *

Alone in her room, Harmony tossed and turned in her bed covers. Her dreams morphed and took life.

She stared in to the mirror and saw her hollow checks and blood red eyes. She hated this mirror, as if it laughed at her. She touched what used to be her nose and grinned with black chipped teeth. Disgusting, like a rotten apple. She touched the smooth surface, and her long nails screeched down her face. It cracked under her hands and a laugh left her lip less mouth. She had her three horcruxes, but not the locket. She had forced the poison down Peter's sorry mouth for nothing. How else was she supposed to be complete? Her scalp was like an ugly dead scull and melted with the white of her skin. "What are you looking at?" she screamed. "I will become the most beautiful!" The mirror fell to pieces and she screamed. Screamed and laughed till she woke up. Harmony shot up from her bed, and touched where she hoped she still had a nose.

"Thank God," she said and went back to sleep.

* * *

The harassment didn't end. Sometimes she'd be walking down the halls, and from behind a corner, a hex would knock her down. Other times a cup or quill would explode before she touched it, and Harmony knew that they were playing a game with her. She wondered which one of the Slytherins took Draco's place, if not most of them.

The only good thing was that it was making her more aware. She'd listen to those around her, and no matter how many times they taunted her, she got right back. She didn't need friends to body guard her and shadow her each time she went alone. She acted like a caracal and slinked around the halls.

The worst times were when Nott was alone. He was a sadistic bastard. It seemed like he really wanted to hurt her. He didn't care if the others were there or not, but he knew the worst curses and hexes. Harmony had been in the hospital wing three times from him alone, and she wondered if she should go to a teacher, or wait till they got bored of it. She'd ask him when he'd stop, and he replied when she would stop being Harry Fucking Potter.

After that, it was probably the first time she went through the halls after class as Harmony. She wasn't going to hide in the dorms, or the library. She was getting mightily annoyed from their antics, but otherwise it helped her in a way. When Draco told her that he tried to stop them, she told him that she could handle it. She could fight her own battles.

Maybe that's why she started to hang out more with Draco, since most of them didn't want to go against him. No, that wasn't the only reason. She was more calm and had more fun with him. It didn't matter how cold it was, they flew on their brooms at night when the sky was white and the snow fluttered around them. Sometimes they would practice _legillimens_ without warning, and Harmony put up her barriers as patch worked and flimsy as they were. He made her smile even after a hex left her limping and bruised. During class was the best time to escape.

She met Draco in the changing room, and convinced him to go outside. She held a note that she had forged from Madame Pomfrey, that excused her from class. Draco smirked at her, and as they went to the quidditch locker room, Harmony changed to a girl. The wind was frozen against her cheeks, and her teeth chattered as she flew, but she raced along side Draco. Her firebolt gave her an edge as they made laps in the field, but Draco flew on beside her, pushing the limits of his Nimbus 2001. Draco laughed as they put away their gear, since Harmony's hair stuck up, and looked to be frozen in places.

It was a week before the dance, and Harmony wondered if Draco would ask her still. She was on edge about it, and then shook her head. She stepped through the halls, as she made her way to the library, and blocked a bucket of black ink from falling on her head. She would have gotten drenched if she hadn't heard the ink slosh before it emptied. She heard a snicker, but didn't catch the student.

Harmony wanted to pull a prank on them, then laugh and laugh till her head hurt. At the library with Ginny and Luna, she thought of all of the things she could do. When she started to draw pictures and diagrams, Ginny gave her input.

"I would go with the caracal running wild through their dorm," Ginny said, "it's a little less dangerous than the fire."

"True," Harmony said, "but they could still hex me."

"Not if there is a hawk and a lemur making a ruckus," Luna said, "and who knows, maybe a bear could barge in as well."

"Leighton wouldn't," Harmony said, "unless we bribe him with honey dukes candy, he probably ate all of the ones I'd gotten him for Christmas."

"Didn't you give him three kilos of that stuff?"

"His jar has been empty for a week," Harmony said, "but I'd need to go to Hogsmead to do that."

"Think Draco would scare anyone as a ferret?" Ginny asked.

"No," Harmony frowned, "but we could put toothpaste on his mouth, so that they think he has rabies."

"This is getting complicated," Ginny said, "let's go with flooding the dungeons. It's easier, since they live under the lake."

"But Snape would kill me," Harmony said, "he'd know it was me. He would. Even if it wasn't. me."

"Only metaphorically," Ginny said.

"That doesn't make sense!" Luna shrugged her shoulders, "I still think that you should unleash the mold idea. It would spread quickly, take time to notice, and would match the decor perfectly!"

"It's not violent enough," Ginny said.

"Alright, alright, I'm back to the drawing board."

Harmony crossed out her plans and began to doodle instead of doing her potions essay. She especially liked to charm the ink so that it moved. Her ink splatter people danced, and she cursed when she realized that she had been drawing all over her essay. She doubted that Snape would like figures doing the cha cha.

"Harmony, what are you doing?" Ginny asked.

"My essay," she said, "see," she held it up. "This is Snape giving me an F, and this is me hexing the Slytherins."

"Ah huh," Ginny said, "Just do what you normally write about and talk about flying hippos. Sheesh."

* * *

Harmony knew that she had gotten persuasive, but she hadn't thought that Draco would skip classes twice in a row. It was especially easier whenever she asked him as a girl too. She'd just pull him aside from a dark corner, and wait for everyone to leave.  
"Keep hanging with me, and you'll soon lose your prefects badge." She said as the students passed. They walked side by side through the halls.

"Not before you get held back a year," Draco said.

"Yeah, then you'll be all alone in 6th year." Draco brushed the hair from his eyes, and smiled from the corner of his lips.

"I guess that I'll just have to fail with you," Draco said. Harmony put a hand to her mouth.

"Oh no! We'll never graduate at this rate. I'll be stuck with Snape forever! Quick, get back to class!"

"Nah," Draco stretched his arms over his head, "I'd rather just hang with you. And Snape would never let you be held back, he wants you out as soon as possible, so you'll probably be expelled first. So why are we skipping classes?" he asked, "is it because of the Slytherins are giving you hell?" Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, it's strange going to class with someone burning holes in your head. But otherwise, heck, we only live once, let's do what we want."

"I burned holes in your head for years," Draco said, "I'd think that you'd be immune to it by now."

"Yeah, but you didn't want to hex me dead." Draco shrugged his shoulders and simply met her eyes. "I can tell the difference between common hate and cruelty."

"Something must have happened to Theodore," Draco said, "he's not himself."

"Maybe," she said, "Let's go up to the roof." Harmony picked up her pace.

"The roof is that way," Draco laughed and pointed to another stairwell, "you sure you know where you're going?"

"Yes," she said, "the, er, staircases shifted."

"Alright, lead the way." Harmony knew where she was going, well most of the time. It was just with him, when she wasn't really thinking about where she was going. She was reminded of when she had said those same words to him, when they had been under the invisibility cloak. That night had changed so many things. She wished that it hadn't. What could have happened wasn't a mystery. Harmony looked at him and her lips remembered what she had locked away. What the locket had taken from her.

A warm tightness filled her chest, and a small smile slipped through. She met his steel grey eyes and the smile grew. "Do you want to go to the dance with me?" she asked.

She saw the surprise before a second later his arms wrapped around her. It amazed her how the tightening in her chest made her ease into his hug. It made her breath go faint, as her mind was preoccupied with his touch. He held her close, and all too soon he let go. "I'll take that as a yes then," she laughed and had to stop herself from hugging him next.

"Damn straight you will," he smirked. "So this is why you wanted me to skip class."

"Pff, right," Harmony itched with a happiness that she wasn't used to. "Maybe," she laughed.

"What are we to do now?" he asked her, "we aren't heading to the roof anymore." She felt like doing something crazy, and if she wasn't going to do something, she might just press into him in a bear hug.

"I want pay back," she said, "I'm planing something for the Slytherins, care to join me?" Draco saw the glint in her eyes and smirked.

"Of course, Sly," he said.

"What do you think would happen if I went into the Slytherin Common rooms?" she asked him.

"Nothing, as long as Snape doesn't catch you," Draco replied, "he's never in there anyway."

"Great, I need to get ready. Come with me to the Grffindor common room," Harmony said, and Draco smirked. He waited for her as Harmony went to her room and picked up her invisibility cloak and marauders map. She spelled her door shut and grabbed Draco's hand in her excitement. Draco pulled his green scarf with one hand, and hung it over her so that she would blend in.

"Clawed the Raven," Draco said the password and the wall opened up. The common room hadn't changed since the last time she had been there. The lamps still glowed green, and the walls had those skulls ingrained in them.

She trailed along the green leather chairs and looked back at Draco. "Where does everyone sleep?" she asked,

Draco titled his head before taking her hand. "This way." Harmony followed Draco. "This side is where the boys sleep, and each year is split up in levels. We can either sleep in the room where everyone sleeps, or buy our own. Most of us have our own rooms". The walls were mostly bare, except for the skulls and bones. The air was thicker than in the Gryffidor room, and was perfect for mold to sprout.

"Can you show me where Crabe, Goyle, Blaise, and Theodore sleep?"

"Sure," Draco said. "Crabe and Goyle sleep in the dorm room. Blaise and Theodore's rooms are down that hall." When Draco opened the door the first thing that hit her was the smell. It was a boy's room all right, as if they had sweat in the sheets and had failed to wash it. She knew that smell, it radiated off Duddley like dribbles of mayonnaise. They must have snuck some food in there as well, because something sour and overripe permeated through the room.

"I don't think I could do anything to make this room any worse," Harmony said. The mold would just collect, and was a fragrance compared with every thing else. "It's revolting."

"Yeah, that's why most of us have our own rooms in our year."

"So I assume that they sleep here and here," she motioned to the beds made into dirt nests. "_Arricneo_," she cast on both of the beds. "Also known as the Bucking Bronco Hex. They'll fly off once they hop in. And this will slap them silly," she pointed to their pillows. "And for giving me an indian rug burn, here is a jar of maggots and cockroaches. She spilled it on their left over food.

"Uh, where did you get that?" Draco asked, and eyed what other monstrosities that could be in her bag.

"Snape's cupboard," she said, "he won't miss it." She smiled at her handy work and went to Blaise's room next. Naturally it was locked, which didn't mean a thing to her.

"So how do you guys normally have it locked?" The room that Proffesor McGonagall had given to her only opened when she turned the knob in a certain way. They were mostly the same.

"Mine opens when I put my wand in the key hole," Draco said. Harmony felt around the door, after _alohomora_ didn't work. She felt a small groove at one of the sides, and when she pushed it, and put her weight on the door, it opened. His room thankfully at least smelled like he bathed regularly. She put goo onto the ceiling of his four poster bed which Fred and George invented. it would spread and seep into the wood and during the night it made the sleeper have the strangest and trippiest nightmares. Harmony put mold in his room, and hexed all the mirrors to show a hideous image of the viewer at certain angles. Lastly, she spread lice eggs all over the carpets and curtains. She felt that Blaise would be able to appreciate her handy work if he knew.

The next room on her list was Theodore's. She did much the same except place a bucket of ice water above his door, and set loose hair eating worms in his bed. She also found his completed potions essay and instead of throwing it into the fire, she changed the middle of it into a love confession for Snape. Draco shook his head at her. "I'm so glad that you never took revenge out on me," Draco said.

After she did a few more of the other Slytherins from other grades and Pansy's room she thought her work complete. "So where's your room?" she asked.

"You can come in so long as you don't put cockroaches, lice, maggots, mold, or anything of that sort anywhere near where I sleep." She grinned at him, and nodded her head.

His room was sparse, neat and orderly. There wasn't anything so telling about the boy, except for the fact that it was a tad too dark. All of the furniture was either black or green, and Harmony especially wanted to take down the skull engraved into the wood. He closed the door and Harmony could tell that he rarely, if not ever, had people over. It didn't feel like a room, kind of like the room she had at the Dursleys. "You could use some decorations," she said.

Draco shrugged his shoulders, "it suites me just fine." She sat on his bed, the only thing comfortable in the room. "Class is almost over, they will come soon," Draco said.

She brushed his downy covers and saw that her ring now took on a light red hue. She looked at him to make out his features. His room really was too dark and she squinted to see better. He sat down next to her, and Harmony wondered if it had been wrong to be sitting on his bed. She supposed that it didn't matter now that she had already done it. "You know that they'll probably know that it's you," he said.

Good," she said, "then they'll know not to mess with me."

"A snake threatened will strike back."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm a lion," she laughed.

"And a snake's poison?"

"Will give me bad indigestion, anyway, they'll figure that you helped me."

"They can't do anything to me," Draco said, "the worst that will happen is that they will figure out what I care about the most and try to destroy it. So in reality, they will hurt you more, knowing that it will give them the satisfaction of hurting both of us."

"You already gave it a lot of thought. Perhaps I should hex your room as well, so they can't entirely blame you on it."

"You could trick most of them into believing that, but not Blaise and Theodore."

"Anyway, I think your room needs some changes." Draco watched in trepidation, as Harmony turned the colors of his room into soft pinks and reds. She made the skull on his wall into a poorly constructed rendition of Snape's face, and scattered his few possessions all over. After she was through with it, it looked like a 12 year old girl had a birthday party in his room. By then he told her that they really needed to leave or else get caught, and salvage the rest of his room. "I think it looks better," she said.

"Is that with Snape's head, or with out?"

"With," and Draco laughed.

"When I go into your room next, I'll be sure to make my own impression on it."

"As you like," she said and pulled out her map. It was true that foot prints were heading into their direction.

"What is that?" he asked.

"A map that shows where everyone in Hogwarts is," she said, "they'll be here in less than five minutes."

"Shite," he said. She pulled out her invisibility cloak, and opened his door.

"Let's bounce," she said, and they ran through the Slytherin Common rooms. She checked her map once more, before throwing the cloak over the both of them and opening the entrance to the Slytherin's dungeons. They crept out and shut the portal, just in time as a few 6th years neared the corner. Harmony and Draco shuffled past the wall entrance and her heart beat fast as she had to do this all without bumping too close into his chest. It seemed like he thought of the opposite, and walked close behind her. "That was close," he whispered into the shell of her ear.

"I feel better," she said. She double checked that the cloak was covering both of them completely before walking away. They had to stop whenever someone got near, so it took them awhile to make real progress.

"This is so weird," Draco said as the people took no notice of them. He seemed to be enjoying himself very much, and when they got far enough, she pulled the cloak away and changed back into Harry.

"Thanks Draco," she said and put the glasses on her face. She stuffed everything into her bag. "Make sure you see all of their reactions," Harmony said.

"Yes, and I'll make an effort to not meet Snape's eye and to look surprised and angry that anyone would dare put pink in my room."

"You're the best," she said, "I'll see you later."

Harmony made her way back to the Gryffindor common room, excited to tell Ginny what had happened.

* * *

End of Chapter 27

And here is a little bonus:

Snape sat at his desk as the students chopped and ground their ingredients. Before him were the piles of essays, divided by passing and failed, and with a flick of his wrist, an ungraded one slipped between his fingers and he began reading it with dull attention. It read:

Theodore Nott  
Advanced Potion Making  
Properties of the Florence Night Elixir

After the cat whiskers are allowed to congeal for twenty minutes, add a pinch of dittany and then... Professor Snape you are the sunshine of my life. I'm too afraid to let you know in person, but I stare at you in class, stare at your raven locks of hair, the austere turn of your lip, and picture that lip turned my way. I know that I am younger than you, and a student, and male, but we shouldn't let that get in the way of our great love. I would promise to cherish you, and do everything in my power to make you happy. I see you stare off into the distance in boredom and despair. I could be the spice to your life, the bezoar to all of your afflictions... All I ask, no, all I beg is that you consider my offer. I wait for your response, dead inside without you. Please Severus, say yes, and meet me behind the quidditch field tomorrow at noon. And then after the dittany has been thoroughly absorbed in the potion, stir counter clockwise until the potion has reached the right consistency.

The utter disgust boiled in his gullet, and Snape glared at the offending confession, wiling it to burst in flames. An F marred the paper and Snape met the eyes of many of his students before boring on Theodore. In all amazement, someone had outdone Potter in writing the most ludicrous essay, and Snape looked on as if his eyes had been burned from something foul and detestable.


	28. Chapter 28 the Maiden

**Harmony Lives**  
Chapter 28 the Maiden

**Disclaimio!** You must believe me, I'm being held against my will, and the writer is doing strange things to me, like turning me into a girl! It's me, Harry! She's not JK Rowling, don't believe a word the writer says. Oh no! She's coming back, gotta hide.

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Whatever the Slytherin reactions had been to her traps, their violent behavior towards her dwindled. She knew that they weren't done, that they would undermine her in more subtle ways, but for now she had the satisfaction of showing them up. They knew that it had been her. Snape must have known it too, but none of them siad anything had happened. Theodore had bald patches in his hair for couple of days, and Crabe and Goyle scratched their head constantly like a dog with fleas, while Pansy had hot pink hair for a few days, courtesy of Harmony changing the girl's hair products into dye. But overall, she hadn't hurt anyone.

Harmony had a good laugh about it for a few days, going to all of her classes with a smile, and Harmony felt excited about the upcoming Valentine's day dance. When the day finally came, Harmony locked herself in her room, trying on the meager amount of dresses she owned. She didn't want to look like a fool in a dress. She had a couple from the summer, but as she threw each one into a corner, her eyes began to drift to the one Ginny had given to her for Christmas. At first it had embarrassed her to wear it, because it hugged her body and was rather short. The stretchy material of the silver dress reflected the light and shimmered.

She stuffed the other dresses in her suitcase and laid the silver dress on her bed. She was at a loss of what to do now. Harmony had taken a shower, and had towel dried her hair. She wasn't sure if she should have done anything more with the unruly locks. The dance was in two hours and Harmony had thought that she would have plenty time. She looked at the time and fretted. It had been so easy as a guy! All she had to do was change, and then wa la!

There was a knock to her door and Harmony shoved everything under her bed before transfiguring her face back to Harry. "One moment," she said and pushed everything else that was girly away.

She opened her door to see Ron. "What is it?" she asked, with her annoyance clear to the both of them.

"Are you going to the dance?" he asked her, and Harmony sighed.

"No," she said and was about to shut her door. Unfortunately, his large foot blocked its path.

"Harry," he said, "you haven't been yourself, this isn't you. You can come with Hermione and me."

"Thanks Ron," Ron smiled, "but, I don't want to be a third wheel with you two. I'm very much fine by myself." She tried getting past his lanky leg, but he was a persistent wanker.

"You should come, Fred and George are spiking the punch, and it's going to be a lot of fun. Hermione doesn't want you to be so alone and miserable."

"Then why isn't she here asking me?" Harmony asked.

"She thinks that we need to kiss and make up," Ron said and attempted to smile. Harmony had to hide her mortification as a bad mental image came to her mind. "She'd been hounding me about it for weeks now. You know how she can get."

"Yeah," Harmony muttered, "I really appreciate it."

"So coming?" Ron smiled, and Harmony sighed.

"No," it seemed that they were going to have a wrestling match with her door.

"You are being antisocial! Malfoy is making you hate everything." Harmony now really wanted to shove the doorknob in his gob.

"Ron," Ginny pushed her brother away, "you're being a turd." Ginny was shining in her flaming red dress, and glared at her brother.

"Just convince him, alright," Ron said and she nodded.

"Sure, now go." Ginny shut the door after he left and locked it. "Alright, so what do you have to do? I finished early to help you if you need anything."

Harmony pulled everything out from under her bed and Ginny smiled when she saw the silver dress. "Good choice," she said, "hopefully Draco will be gentlemanly enough."

"Wah?" Harmony asked.

"Oh, nothing, anyway, change into the dress first. I'll look away." Harmony changed as Ginny pulled out an assortments of bottles and tubes, until the bed and desk were covered with witch beauty supplies for the magical enhancement of young ladies.

"Uh, Ginny," Harmony said as she looked at the bed and desk, "what the hell?"

"You'll understand someday," Ginny said, and Harmony hoped not to. "Alright, I'll start with your hair. That should be simple enough." Ginny sat Harmony down and had something like a straightener that passed through Harmony's short black hair.

Harmony sat perfectly still, conscious that any move may make the girl burn her ear or scalp. Harmony didn't think it possible, but her hair stayed down after she put something into it. Ginny looked at her nails and sighed. "Really?" Ginny asked, as if her nails were offensive.

"I'll forget to take it off tonight, and tomorrow, people will look at my nails and say 'Hell Potter, gay much'?"

"Oh stop it, I think you can handle something like removing nail polish."

"It will be late at night and no one will see it," Harmony muttered, not wanting the horrid smelling stuff near her fingers.

"You are a girl, deal with it," Ginny said, "I'll just make it shiny." Ginny filed her uneven nails and painted them. She pointed to her feet and Harmony frowned.

"You're kidding," Harmony hid her feet under her chair.

"Unfortunately no. And don't worry, no one will look at your toes tomorrow from under your shoes, so you don't have to worry if you forget." Harmony shut her mouth as she pulled off her overlarge socks and threw them across the floor.

"Whatever," she said, "let's just get this over with." Ginny painted them with much care and Harmony decided that she would never understand all of these female rituals. She would go without till, well, she didn't know till when. Ginny worked fast and spelled them dry when she was done.

"Alright", she said, "do you know what you are wearing on your feet?" Harmony rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out the sandals she used during the summer.

"These," she said and Ginny stared at her like she was mental.

"Please tell me you have more," Ginny said, while Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"I have sneakers," she said and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Alright, I'll be back." Harmony nodded her head as the girl left. She returned with her own glittering high heels, and Harmony stared at them like they were stilts.

"What is that? Like 5 inches!" Ginny laughed.

"It's only 3," Ginny said, "it's barely a lift." She passed her the high heels, and Harmony tried them on. "What size are you?" she asked.

"I don't know," Harmony said, "I forgot." The shoes were only a tad bit lose and Ginny easily shrunk them.

"Now is the last and most important part," Ginny said and got Harmony to sit at the desk.

"I don't want too much on," Harmony said, "I still want to look like me."

"Technically, you don't need much," Ginny put some glittering eye shadow and black eye liner across Harmony's eye lids much like that of a cat. Next the mascara thickened her eye lashes, and Ginny added a touch of blush. "See we are done," she said, and sprayed her body with something that smelled like a tea shop over her head. "You don't have piercings, but a necklace will be fine."

Harmony went to her closet and pulled down what jewelry she had. She owned the wooden carving of a doe, some string bracelets, and a dragon necklace. She picked up the dragon and slipped it over her head. "That looks sexy," Ginny said, "it's a good length too." The dragon's tail curved and ended a few inches above her sweetheart dress. She would have thought the dress low for her taste, but it didn't show anything too revealing. Harmony smiled at the mirror and Ginny handed her one last thing. "This is lip gloss," she said, "you can have it." It glittered like the rest of everything she was wearing, and Harmony wondered if this was a tad too shiny, like she was an ice sculpture.

"Perfect," Ginny admired her, "now no guy can resist you." Harmony laughed and looked at Ginny.

"If I was a guy, I'd be falling all over myself to be yours," she said, "you are really something."

"Thanks Harmony," Ginny said as she turned to the door, "It means a lot to me. Alright, I think you are set, I'll see you on the dance floor." The girl left and Harmony sat on her bed, excited for the next hour to pass. She cursed as she realized that she couldn't just walk out of her room. she got out her invisibility cloak, only to realize that she didn't have anything to put it in. She couldn't just stuff it into her school bag and go to the dance floor with it bumping against her back.

Harmony couldn't bring it and leave it somewhere, if she lost it, she'd have to go through each nook and cranny in the school. Harmony would just have to wait till the coast was clear. In the mean time, she practiced walking with the heels. They were uncomfortable, but at least she didn't look so short. She walked around the room and after a bit she wasn't hobbling. Harmony stared at herself in the mirror, and she hoped that she wouldn't make a fool out of herself there. The heels weren't sticks as she first thought, and as she tapped her foot and moved a bit, she watched as her body moved in the reflection. She was slim, but not like when she was a boy.

Bony wouldn't describe her any more, and Harmony felt more comfortable with herself. She felt right, and not overly self conscious about being small. It was getting close to the hour, and she heard as girls and boys laughed and passed her door. She hoped that Draco wouldn't mind waiting for a bit. She put on some of the nude color lip gloss, and smiled nervously into the mirror. She wondered what Draco would think, and pulled at the hem of her dress. She cursed as it rose once more to her mid thigh.

She hadn't heard a student pass for awhile, and Harmony unlocked her room, to poke her head out. There wasn't a single Gryffindor in sight, and Harmony went as fast as her high heeled legs could go. She made it to the portrait and went through with relief.

She had a wand in a small purse that Ginny had given to her, and walked as fast as she could to the stairwell where she had told Draco to meet her.

Draco leaned against the banister in a bored manner, and he turned his head when he heard the clicks from her high heels. She didn't meet his eyes as she pressed down at her dress, and felt as if her insides had flipped. "Hey," she said, "sorry I'm late, I couldn't leave my room, till everyone was gone," she rambled as she stood in front of him. Harmony wished that she had worn something over her bare arms and legs as the cool air permeated through the walls. He held out his arm and Harmony took it with a warm feeling dissipating the cold.

He smiled at her, and Harmony felt some of her anxiety quiet. He looked sleek in his black fitting dress shirt and pants. He had a smirk on his face as he turned to her. "You look incredible," he said, "absolutely perfect."

"Er. You look great too," she said and watched as his smile grew as his eyes lowered to the dragon necklace.

"I didn't tell you about that necklace," he said and Harmony brought a hand to it, "it's a family heirloom."

"Really? Are you sure that I should have it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I wanted to give it to you. It's been in my family for ages, and it's said that dragon's blood or poison is at the center, I forget which. It's important to me so keep it close." They stood in front of the Great Hall, which was decorated with hearts and red ribbons. "Ready?" he asked. She took a deep breath and chuckled to herself. "Because we could still have our own party," he smirked.

"I've faced worse," they stepped through the doors and the Great hall looked like cherubs had spewed out hearts, roses, candy, and strings. A fountain with a statue of a cherub on top had punch spilling over, which Harmony could recall was most likely tampered with by Fred and George. Music came from a band, and already couples were dancing on the floor. Harmony met Draco's eyes as they made their way through the throng of students. Her palm prickled with warmth as he held her hand, and she gulped as she saw students pressed against each other or getting smashed by the punch. There were the few who snogged in the corners, and Harmony couldn't stare for too long. "Er. So what do you want to do?" she asked.

"We could have some punch," Draco said.

"Nah," Harmony said, "it's spiked."

"Let's dance," he guided her to where the band played.

"Alright." It was different going with someone who she cared about. At the Yule Ball, she had sat around watching Cho Chang. She smiled up at him, and he lightly grazed her shoulder as they went closer to the music. "It isn't exactly what we learned for the Yule Ball," she said. The music pulsed through the crowd, and students moved against it. She thought it looked a lot like how Sirius had danced, the way he just moved to the music. At least they weren't playing a slow song.

"All the better," Draco said. Harmony felt as if there were more than one pair of eyes watching her, watching them. She looked around as couples danced with each other. She hadn't always been the best dancer, and she never danced in heels before. She was going to suggest that they sit, when he started to move. He danced a little at first, and she laughed when he missed a step or did his own flare. Harmony followed him, swinging her hands and tapping her feet.

The beat quickened and she smiled as he shook his hips. At least when she moved her hips, it didn't matter how silly she looked. The space lessened between them, and she laughed all the while. She watched his eyes light up, as they followed her. Harmony touched his arm and he brought a hand on her waist. "You dance well," he said loudly over the music.

"Remember, Snape taught me," she said and he laughed.

"I can see him over there glaring at all of us, I doubt that he can do half of what you can, if not anything." The song ended and Draco brought her closer to the heat of the dance floor. The music started up slowly at first, but picked up, and the students cheered. Harmony moved with the music and brought her arms up, suddenly she was glad that no one knew who she was. She felt free to step close to Draco and smile like an idiot. She could be unknown, but also be his girlfriend, and this lie was so much easier to believe than the truth.

Someone bumped into her, and Harmony fell against Draco. She held on to his arm as she regained her balance on her high heels. "Sorry," she mouthed, and Draco touched her bare shoulder blades. Of course Ginny would get a dress that would show a good portion of her back.

"It's OK," he said and Harmony leaned into him. She trailed her hands over the thick material of his shirt till she rested them at the back of his neck. Harmony could read the happiness in his eyes and she grinned back. Her head rested against his chest and she shut her eyes from the swirl of colors and students. She relaxed as she felt his arms around her, strong, and Harmony allowed the moment to sink in. "There's a photo booth," Draco suddenly said. Harmony followed his line of sight and saw that Collin had a set where he shot photos of couples.

"Let's go." Harmony said and held on to his hand as they made their way out of the dancers. They got on line and Harmony watched the dance floor. There was Ginny and Micheal with their hands in the air and jumping up and down. Harmony didn't know how the girl could do that in heels so high. "Hey it's Leighton." She saw Leighton with the other teachers with a glass of punch occupying him. Leighton pulled out a move or two when he thought that the other professors weren't looking. It seemed like there were a few girls going up to him for a dance, which he shook his head to.

Draco didn't seem so amused as he watched their professor, and instead he pointed out Dumbledore who looked to be doing the macarena with a ghost. She was going to point out Ron and Hermione, but thought better of it, as they snogged the life out of each other. "Next!" Collin howled over the music. Harmony and Draco sat on a white bench with an arch of roses and lilacs. She smiled at the camera as Collin was counting down, and surprise skipped through her as Draco tilted her head gently and kissed the corner of her lips. The camera flashed and Harmony closed her eyes as she felt his lips linger over hers. She met his kiss and didn't pay attention as Collin yelled next. She could only think of the light warmth that spread through her as he pulled away reluctantly, even as other couples rolled their eyes and waited pointedly. A blush pinked her cheeks and Draco held her hand and pulled her to him.

"Thank you," she smiled at Collin. He nodded his head and motioned for a new couple to sit.

"Do you want another photo?" he asked, and Harmony laughed.

"How bout a another kiss?" She saw the glint in his eyes as they stepped away from the music.

"First," Draco held her hand as they walked, "if you agree to go out with me." If she hadn't been holding his hand, she may have stumbled over her high heels. His steel gray eyes filled with determination and Harmony smiled up at him.

"Alright," she met his grin with her lips, "you can be with me, so long as it's when I'm not looking like the boy who lived." Draco pulled her into a hug and touched her short cropped hair. She couldn't believe that being with someone could bring her such joy. The tightness in her chest returned as she felt him against her with his warm palms now brushing her back. Their lips joined and Harmony still had to reach up as they kissed. She was almost surprised that the lip gloss wasn't all over him and she thanked Ginny in her mind.

Nothing bad happened as they looked at each other, there were no crazy fathers, friends, or intruders. It was just them, and Harmony couldn't have enough of the drunk feeling as if punch had filled her to the point she was almost intoxicated. "So I didn't scare you away," Harmony kissed him and it took him a few seconds to actually answer.

"It takes a lot to faze me," Draco said, "and I don't give up easily."

"I'm glad," she bit her bottom lip as she smiled. She would have thought it all impossible to believe, but as she kissed him, it was hard to imagine anything else. No one else would taste like him, act like him, or make her feel this barmy. It scared her for a second, that someone could elate her so, and that it had been Draco Malfoy no less. But it subsided as her heart beat faster, and she couldn't deny her jumbled fervor.

She had been wrong to think that it would have been better to not be in a relationship during the war. She needed him, she would fight to live.

* * *

end of chapter 28

question: So what do you think the other character's animagus forms are? The Weasley family members are basically birds (I'll give you one character starter, Percy is a strutting peacock) Or Hermione, and Blaise?


	29. Chapter 29 Misleading

**Harmony Lives**  
chapter 29 Misleading  
**Disclaimerarious: **I am not JK Rowling. I am just a bored witch, writing made up stories about my friends at school.

* * *

Draco had never thought that someone could work him up in twists and knots as if he were an unraveling scarf. He held her hand and looked down at Harmony, thinking that if a thousand dementors decided to crash the party, that not a single one of them could take away his happiness.

They had been attracting a lot of attention, or at least she had. It was a surprise what black robes could hide. The dress hugged her slim frame and the candle light reflected off the silver material so that his eyes trailed around her figure. If beauty could ever be summed up in one word, it would be harmony. He laughed at how overly sentimental he was being.

"I have to go soon," she said, and Draco nodded his head. The party was very much alive, but he wanted it to last, before the dream could fall apart. "You know, in time to beat my house mates back to the dorm."

"I'll go with you," he said. They left the party and Draco walked next to her with an arm around her back when he felt that the corridors were cooler there. The portraits eyed them as they passed, and Draco didn't allow their disapproving looks to loosen his arm. He already had enough of that.

"Here is good," she said as she stopped at the top of the stairway where they usually met. He knew why she wanted to say goodnight here.

"Goodnight," he kissed her hand and looked into her green eyes. She smiled back and he watched as she turned to leave. He stood there, even when he couldn't see her or hear her heels click.

He wished that he could tell someone, but that would have been absurd. He just couldn't tell his Father and Mother that Harry Potter had turned into a girl and now he was dating her. He would have to send them a lie about the girl, because he knew that they would hear about him and the girl soon. One of the Slytherins would say something. Plus he had to assure them that she was pure blood or something. That would be the first thing that they would ask.

Draco walked towards the dungeons and was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice Blaise till the boy bumped him aside. "So," Blaise slurred, "it looked like you had a good night." Draco tried to ignore his friend. "You aren't walking her back to Hogsmead?" Blaise laughed, "I thought that you were a gentleman."

"She has a carriage," Draco told Blaise as if he were an idiot.

"Of course," Blaise chuckled, and Draco was so glad that none of his Slytherin friends had their own invisibility cloak. "Did you get the pink out of your room yet?"

"No, it's semi permanent. Did you find all of the lice eggs?"

"Nah, those little buggers just about laid every where, on the carpet, in my mattress. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so itchy. At least I noticed it, Crabe and Goyle still haven't seen the little critters colonizing their heads. I saw a cockroach in there the other day, and I don't think that Snape cares enough to remove the little bastards. I think he wants to collect them."

"Right," Draco said unamused.

"Anyway, Potter sure pulled a number on us, I'd stay away from him if I were you. Theodore's ready to just about crush the git. Seems like his father has something to do about it. Be careful Draco, you just may be next." Blaise looked at him and rolled his eyes as Draco still pretended to not be listening. "So is Potter a good kisser?"

Draco looked at Blaise as if the boy had slapped him, and then laughed. "Shite Blaise, are you high?" Blaise frowned.

"I told you to be careful, but I guess Potter didn't get the memo."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked clearly amused.

"Your girlfriend is Potter."

"You're smashed," Draco yawned, "talk to me when you're sober. Potter would never look good in a dress."

"Don't let her hear that," Blaise chuckled. "It all makes sense now. Why you are friends, why you have disobeyed your father, and why both of you have been acting so strange. At first I thought it was mental. Potter would never make a hot girl and you would never date him, but then I saw your girlfriend. I thought you hated those green eyes, but hell she's hot."

"Don't talk about her like she's anything like that prat." Blaise laughed at him.

"Don't worry Draco, I won't tell."

"Whatever," Draco said.

"You are lucky though, considering what's left. Imagine if I had to be with Pansy, and had to listen to her bash your girl all day." It seemed like Draco had gone back to ignoring his friend, and soon they were at the wall. "So did you let Potter in our common room?"

"Nope," Draco muttered, "clawed the raven." The wall opened and Blaise chuckled.

"I'm going to have a bloody hangover tomorrow," Blaise said and grabbed his head, "who would have thought that it would be from the punch," he winked.

"Night," Draco said and went to his pink room.

* * *

Draco awoke the next morning with the thought that the sun rise was hitting his eyes, but laughed when he saw the pink hues in his room reflected from the torch light. Draco stretched from where he sat and took his time as he changed.

As he walked through the halls, it didn't hinder his mood that he couldn't actually see her whenever he wanted. Draco had the letter addressed to his father and he chose a random school owl, figuring that his eagle owl may be intercepted. He gave the owl a treat before sending it off, and Draco hoped that his parents would respond. He hadn't heard from them since Christmas either. Anger had stopped him from sending them anything since then.

At the Great Hall, Draco sat away from the few Slytherins who ate breakfast. He supposed that many of them had hangovers from last night. He could see Harmony from where he sat with Ginny, eating vanilla pudding by the mouth fulls. No one would suspect that their boy wonder was dating him. It made Draco chuckle to himself, except when Blaise strode in the Great Hall and sat next to him.

"Thank Merlin for that hangover remover spell," Blaise said, and stretched out to grab some vanilla pudding. "How are you this fair morning?"

"Great," Draco said, not wanting to engage in more conversation.

"Hmm," Blaise stretched out and scratched his short almost black hair lazily, "you'd think that Granger would have thought of it already, being Harry's best friend and all, but I can see now that the girl is busy with the red head. I haven't seen the trio together for quite some time. Did you get them to hate each other Draco?" Draco took a knife and cut his toast in a clean cut.

"No Blaise, I couldn't care less about who is friends with Potter."

"Are we still playing this game Draco?" Blaise asked.

"Will you stop bringing it up, leave me alone, and hang out with Pansy."

"But you look so happy," Blaise said, "and I'm bored of sour company."

"Than make some Hufflepuff friends." Blaise laughed, and patted Draco's back.

"That's why I like you, Draco. I'm so glad that you don't hang out with Crabe and Goyle anymore, I couldn't stand the way they stank."

"You aren't going to leave me alone?" Draco asked.

"Nope, it's too much fun," Blaise gave him a cat like grin before laughing at Draco's annoyance. "you look like Snape when he was reading Theodore's essay! It was priceless." Draco decided that he preferred the isolation, even though the boy had been his childhood friend years back.

The timing couldn't have been any worse when Collin made his rounds through the tables, handing out photos. He watched as the small boy with the large camera headed their way, shuffling through his brown bag before extending a hand with an envelope. Draco didn't thank the retreating form of the boy as he stuck the pictures in his bag. His swift retreat was thwarted as Blaise grabbed his arm. "Well aren't you going to open it? Hell, maybe the kid switched the photos up, and you got Ginger and Granger snogging it up. Come on Draco," Blaise said as Draco pushed him off, "we both know that you are dying to gloat about her." Draco glared at Blaise and the boy lifted his hands up in the air. "Alright, alright, I'm done." Draco took a few steps and sighed when he heard Blaise stand up as well and grab some toast.

"Bliase Zambini, are you asking to be hexed?" Blaise walked with him through the doors, and Draco narrowed his eyes as the other teen pointed at his mouth which was currently filed with toast.

"No," Blaise got out, "I just think that you've been hanging out with them too much," he waved his hand where the Gryffindors were. "You need someone who thinks like you." The boy tapped the dark skin of his forehead and smirked.

"Whatever," Draco said, and ignored Blaise who followed him back to the common rooms.

* * *

Draco wouldn't admit it, but whenever he sat with Harmony in potions, or was in the same class with her, he got the feeling that more than one person was watching them. He deliberately didn't say anything to her, and pointedly looked elsewhere from the girl who looked like Harry Potter. They had to do something so that no more people would figure it out. Had anyone else realized? Draco looked to Theodore and hoped not.

Draco decided that being in a secret relationship was only fun if it stayed in fact secret. Draco didn't want to kid himself if he thought dating Harmony would be easy. First, he could only flirt with her when they were alone. Second, though most of the day they spent together they had to pretend that nothing more was between them. Well he didn't want the press to hammer that they were gay for each other. He wanted Blaise to stop smirking at him whenever he said something to Harmony in class. Theodore wasn't helping either, the way that he gave them the drop dead glare, like he was a blood thirsty vampire, every freaking time Draco happened to look up.

Draco waited till Harmony had magical fitness to talk to her. He sat on the bench that bisected the lockers and wandlessly clicked his faded gray locker open. She came in a creak and plopped her bag down before joining him. "So what's up?" she asked and took off her glasses and Potter guise.

"Blaise knows about us, specifically that you're a girl." Her eyes widened and then she nodded.

"Shite," she muttered and leaned her head on his arm, "shite. shite. I really don't want the prophet after me."

"He says that he won't tell, but if it was someone else."

"Shite," Harmony winced, "I knew that I shouldn't have put maggots under his pillow. You trust him?"

"He doesn't gain anything by telling, plus he told me that he already knows, so if it does go out, he'd know that I would go after him first."

"I see," Harmony muttered, "hmm."

"How bout we play with their heads a little," Draco smirked, "throw them all off."

"That'd be fun," Harmony laughed, "we could fight."

"Or wrestle," Draco grinned, "though I'd have to win". Harmony scoffed at him, in reply. "Well, we should only do that if it comes down to it." Draco touched his leg to hers and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I think we'd put up a good show," Harmony held his hand, "heck, it would really twist things if we fought for me as a girl."

"Yeah, then I could gloat to you that I won."

"What?" Harmony lifted an eyebrow, "that hardly makes sense."

"Right. Hell, if only we could have two of you present at the same time. We don't have a time turner."

"I could get us some Poly Juice Potion, Snape has loads in his closet."

"He'd kill you if he found out," Draco said.

"He hasn't killed me yet." Harmony replied with a half smile. If she was in her caracal form, she would be purring, contentedly.

Draco brushed the bangs from her eyes, getting a good look at her. "You'd better hurry, gonna be late again."

"I don't care," she leaned in for a kiss and put a hand on his chest. She felt wonderful against him, like the flutter of a Snitch's wings before his fingers clasped around the gold. He brought a hand to the back of her unruly black hair and deepened the kiss. She tasted sweet and crisp like biting into an apple. He could imagine the feel of her skin, just under her shirt, the heat of it. He longed to follow the curves, press against her... but of course that would be ungentlemanly. He stopped their joined lips, and pulled away as if waking from a memory.

He put a hand to her cheek and traced the outline of her jaw, brushing back against her neck, drinking in the sight of her. How much longer until he would be able to see her again.

Draco sighed, they never had enough time. "I hear the whistle," he said, "you could still skip." He added hopefully, cocking his head at her.

"Ok." She grinned, as she pulled him close and kissed him again.

* * *

Their first fight began during the Great Hall, as the owls brought in the morning post- dropping the letters on students' plates. Draco watched as his eagle owl swooped down to the boy wonder and Harmony caught the parchment with an easy flick of the wrist. She flipped it between her hands, and Draco watched with a smile as she broke the wax. He could only see the back of her head, but still he pictured the shock and small intake of breath. She'd see what he had written in his angular script. _Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like mine?_

Ginny, who sat next to Harmony, tipped the photo so that the picture of Draco kissing Harmony during the Valentines dance was there for everyone to gawk at. Ginny stared, open mouthed, before snapping her eyes in his direction. Now it was his turn to laugh as her friends glared at him. "What is this?" Weasley asked between a glob of pancakes.

Harmony would undoubtedly say, "Draco and his girlfriend. He knows that I still want to be with her." The red head was so predictable as he believed what he wanted to hear all along. Draco could almost see the wand hit the target, as Ron nodded, glaring at him. So this was why they were tolerating each other. Why Harry refused to go to the dance. Draco and Harry were acting different because of this girl. It was so simple and the Weasley boy ate it up like another mouth full of pancakes. Hermione frowned in thought, but he couldn't catch what she had said. "Granger said, 'Harry, you did look like a boy in love," Blaise said next to him, with his eyes intent on the bushy haired girl, "what did you send to them? It's weird when you laugh at something from across the hall."

"Since when can you lip read?" Draco asked as he watched as Hermione continued to talk.

"Please, Granger's been yapping since first year, I think I hear her more often than the Professors. Did you send Potter a love letter?" Blaise said as quietly as someone like him could be.

"Would you shut up!" Draco said, "For fu-"

"Should have told us, I could have given you advise," Blaise lip read, "on what? How to snog without breathing for five minutes? Oh look, Potter looks mad." Harmony stood up from her seat and glared at Draco before rushing out of the Great Hall with the photo tucked into her bag. "You couldn't have done the dumping already."

"I sent him a picture of me kissing Harmony," Draco laughed, "Potter knows that I won, but still refuses to admit it. He's such a child." Blaise gave him a funny look as he watched the retreating form of Potter, and Ginny rushing after him.

"What the hell, Potter is bipolar?" Blaise asked.

"Nah, he's just angry that I got the girl he wanted."

"Hmm?" Blaise scratched his head.

"You really should be going to Madam Pomphrey about that lice," Draco said.

"I have been, and don't change the subject. So you found out that Potter liked this girl, tried your own hand at getting her- to hurt Potter no doubt- but fell in love instead. How precious! If anything, it makes for a good story". Draco shrugged his shoulders. "I like it, it's almost believable." Draco laughed at Blaise.

"You're a riot," Draco put a thick spread of raspberry jam on his toast, "I think you would like Harmony. She's coming over soon."

"I think you're mental," Blaise laughed, "but I'll see for myself." Draco watched across the room as the Gryffindors chatted with food in their mouths. He couldn't bear it any longer, but enjoyed as Blaise was silent for once, digesting things over in his mind like a medium rare steak.

* * *

When classes ended, the students milled in the Great Hall and the corridors, and Draco sat with a bored expression on his face as he sat in the Slytherin table. He ignored Blaise, who had made a nuisance of himself, and turned away from the doors. He counted, down to the last minute, and rested his head on his hand, in an easy manner.

Draco looked over to the Gryffindor table and caught the green eyed boy's glance. His back was to the doors, so the only thing that clued him to Harmony's arrival was the way Blaise's jaw went slack. "Hmm?' Draco tilted his head.

"Draco!" He heard, just as the girl latched to his back, "I surprised you, right?"

"Heck, what are you doing here?" She sat next to Draco and he brushed the snow from her short hair, which got onto the green scarf that snaked her shoulders.

"I wanted to visit you!" She hugged his side then seemed to notice Blaise. "Oh, hi." She looked around and saw that other students were staring.

"Hello Harmony," Blaise waved amiably back.

"This is Blaise Zambini," Draco said.

"Ello," Harmony smiled, "this looks so different than last week!"

Draco saw from above the girl's shoulder, Harry Potter making his way towards them. "Is Harry here now?" she asked and Draco pointed to the boy.

"Harry!" she waved, and scrambled out of her seat to give Harry a bear hug. The boy smiled at her and hugged her back. Now the Slytherins had their attention as the boy wonder stood at their table. He could almost see the growl on Pansy's face and the hate on Theodore. Harmony seemed oblivious to the onlookers, and Draco smirked as he saw the glare on Harry's face that he shot over her head. "I haven't seen you in ages!".

"Harmony, it's good to see you," Harry said, and straightened the glasses on his nose.

"Hey, Potter," Draco said, and caught Harmony's eye before correcting himself, "I mean Harry."

"Er, right," Harry said as Harmony let go of his hand, "Draco."  
Harmony placed her hands on Draco's in an effort to hoist him up. "Come on," she said, "you guys promised that you would show me around. I heard the kitchens have millions of elves!" Harmony grinned when Draco got his stuff and she looked at Blaise next.

"Want to come?" she asked.

"Sounds great," Blaise looked amused as he picked up his bag. Harmony held Draco's hand as they walked in between Harry and Blaise. The dark skinned teen had a bemused expression, as he examined them. "So where are you going to learn magic?" he asked.

"I'm home schooled," Harmony said, "but I always wanted to go to Hogwarts."

"Really? That's unusual," Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Did you get the picture I sent you?" Draco asked suddenly.

"Yeah," she said with a grin, "thanks."

"So what do you want to see first?" Harry asked, "There's Hagrid's hut, the library, the kitchen, the trophy room, the clock tower, or er- the, well that's it."

"I've been to most of those places, and I want to see the elves!" Harmony said. Harry lead the way to the giant painting of the bowl of fruit and tickled the pear to open the kitchens. Draco and Blaise hung back as the painting swung open, not caring about the kitchens. The room was filled with house elves who turned their bat wing ears at them when the painting creaked open.

They were ugly looking, and there ugliness multiplied in their sheer numbers. One elf in particular seemed happy to see them, and Draco saw in surprise that it was Dobby his old house elf. "It's Harry Potter," Dobby said cheerfuly in a high pitch squeal, "who came to see Dob...by," his smile fell as he saw Draco Malfoy. "Uh, Dobby still hasn't finished taking out the trash. Thank you Harry, for the Christmas present." Dobby waved at Harry, and ducked into the sea of elves.

"Wasn't that-" Draco started and frowned, "nevermind." Three pairs of eyes looked at the boy wonder who shrugged his shoulders.

Platters of cakes and caskets of butterbeers appeared as multiple elves fought to feed the students. "What would you like miss?" one of the elves asked.

"Butterbeer," she said, and took one out of three that was handed to her, "thanks."

"And you?" another house elf asked, till they all had a butterbeer in their hands. They soon left and felt warm from the butterbeers.

"So that's why you're friends with house elves," Blaise said.

"No," Harry said, "I have an idea, do you want to see some of the secret passage ways out of Hogwarts. Then you don't have to walk in the snow."

"Yeah, that'd make it a lot easier to sneak in," Harmony said. Harry took them to different entrances, and told her the best ones to go through and where they ended up to. After the third one, Blaise looked at him in something like respect.

"How do you know all of this, Potter?" Blaise asked.

"That's just the kind of stuff you pick up when you're the chosen one," Harry said. The look that resembled something like respect extinguished as soon as it had come.

"Right, Potter," Blaise said, "of course."

"Shall I take you home now?" Draco asked Harmony, to which she nodded.

"I'll visit you soon, Harmony," Harry said, and they hugged good bye.

"Bye," she said and held Draco's hand. They went through the entrance way, walked a few feet inside, just out of sight. If they weren't so busy kissing, they would have missed Blaise and Harry's parting words.

"So which one of Potter's friends are you really?" Blaise asked Harry.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Harry asked, and walked away.

"Well that didn't work," Harmony said, when they were further down the passage way, "even though Ginny makes a more believable Harry than I do. It took ages to find that one strand of old hair as well. Want to go on a date?"

"How's Madam Puddifoot's sound?"

"Great," she held his hand and they left for tea.

* * *

"Do your parents know about Harmony?" Blaise asked as they sat in the common rooms. Draco flipped through his Charms essay, checking for errors. The common room was mostly empty, since about this time, it was Hufflepuff hunting.

"I sent them a letter," Draco said.

"So why can't she come to Hogwarts?"

"Because her father is Sirius Black," Draco said.

"_The_ Sirius Black, mass murderer and traitor?" Blaise whistled, "sounds too good to be true."

"She grew up hating her father, till she met Potter. Potter told her it was some other scumbag who betrayed his parents, not Black. He knew because Sirius Black is Harry Potter's god father. Then they became friends."

"At least your parents will be happy, thinking that she's a pure blood. Too bad it makes her your cousin now. You sure you don't want to pick another mass murderer to be her father?"

"Shut up Blaise," Draco shook his head, "go find someone else to amuse you."

"But I like the story," Blaise said, "I think it's good."

"Then don't say anything."

"Only trying to help," he smiled and looked around the room to make sure that no one was listening, "Theodore is acting up again, I can hear him in his room sometimes, shouting and hexing everything."

"I don't get you," Draco said, "what do you even want?"

"Nothing," Blaise laughed, "it's just amusing."

"Up yours."

* * *

Draco looked bored in Potions as he and Harmony waited for the cauldron to heat up and turn the potion violet. He had already staged some fights between them, but it didn't seem to be working. "Watch it Potter," Draco warned.

"Watch what?" Harmony huffed, already knowing the game that Draco was playing.

"The potion," Draco said.

"Detention," Snape yelled from his desk, faster than usual, "Malfoy, just complete the potion without such juvenile nonsense. Meet me after class." Harmony looked at the man in a frown as he ignored her. Still he did not call her so she flicked a salamander tail into Crabe and Goyle's cauldron. At first Snape pretended not to see, till the cauldron began to bubble and Crabe and Goyle started whining. "50 points from Gryffindor," the man said, and Harmony grumbled into her arm.

"Sorry, Sir," she muttered. Draco looked at the man and wondered if something had happened. He wanted to roll his eyes when Blaise looked at him instead and smirked.

Snape watched as the students left his room, placing vials of their potions on his desk. After class, Draco sat on the hard wooden chair that was besides Snape's desk.

"I have some grave news," Snape said, "from your family. This is a letter which your Father has written. I can only guess the contents, but here it is." Snape handed him a folded up letter that did not have the usual Malfoy seal or wax stamp. It crinkled as Draco slipped a finger and opened it.

_Draco,_  
_As you have been aware, the Dark Lord is not in our favor since you have become a traitor to the cause. Your mother and I are doing everything we can to keep you safe, but I fear the worst is yet to come. Your mother can no longer leave the Manor, and she is being watched by the Dark Lord or one of his subjects at all times. I do not know why this is so, but I do hope that you will come to your senses. Hogwarts is no longer safe, and the Manor can no longer be your home. I think that there is still time for your act of betrayal to be reversed, but I do not think that the Dark Lord will forgive you without consequence. For now, stay where you are._  
_Lucious Malfoy._

Draco reread the letter once more before crumpling it in to a fist and bursting it to flames. "My mother, will she be ok?" Draco asked.

"Nothing is certain yet, but I think that The Dark Lord is using her to keep Lucious in his place. At least that is all I hope."

"I don't understand," Draco said, "what about Bellatrix? Isn't she upset about it too?"

"As long as her sister is not physically harmed, then Bellatrix will see it all as a necessity. You do not remember her, but Azkaban has been anything but constructive for her." Snape looked at Draco and the lines between his irascible eyebrows creased.

"Whatever happens, your family will do everything they can for you."

"They should just stop following the mad man," Draco said without thinking and Snape slammed a hand onto his desk.

"Do not be so liberal with your words, Draco. Do you want to harm your family even more?" Draco looked anywhere but at his Professor who sat hunched on his desk like a vulture.

"Sorry," Draco said.

"Very well," Snape said, "and if I witness another poorly constructed fight in my class, I will give you two a real detention. Leave." Draco gave a curt nod and thanked Snape before leaving the man.

He told Harmony when they were in Magical fitness of what happened to his mother. "She's being held hostage?" Harmony asked as they sat on the bench.

"I don't know. I really- Damn it." Draco muttered, "Snape said that the Dark Lord was angry because of me."

"This isn't your fault." Harmony said.

"When my Father came to collect me on Christmas, he probably meant for me to go to the Dark Lord and get turned into a Death Eater. Now my mum has to pay since I refused to do it." Harmony said nothing in reply, just listening to him work out his thoughts. "Maybe that's what happened to Theodore instead. His Father broke out of Azkaban, and wants to get up in the ranks, even if he has to offer his son to do so." He wondered if Theodore was already a Death Eater, but it explained a lot if he was.

"Voldemort doesn't care about anyone, he'll just kill whoever happens to be between him and what he wants. Like Cedric Diggory, he was murdered just for being there," Harmony said. Draco thought about how connected she was to the Dark Lord. Draco was scared for her, scared that when things in the war started heating up, she was going to be right in the line of fire. And what was worse was that she didn't even seem to care, she didn't give a damn about what happened to herself.

"I hate this," Draco said, as he pulled her close, "it's wrong." She didn't say anything, just rested her head against his shoulder. He couldn't lose Harmony, but the thought of his mother held captive made him sick. He hadn't seen her since the summer, nor had he written to her recently. "I can't imagine not seeing her again."

"Your father is protecting her," Harmony said, "and if anything else happens, we'll go and save her." He didn't think that they could stand up to the Dark Lord, but he wanted to.

"Yeah," he said, "you and me both."

* * *

end of Chapter 29

Thanks for all your input, it inspires me.  
By the way, due to too much reading of my fanfict my sister bought two ferrets. One is white and named Frisker!

And I got a new pet chinchilla named Mr. Bojangles.

Question:  
What happened to clue Blaise in to the fact that Harry Potter is a girl, and why can't they friggen trick him?


	30. Chapter 30 the Manor

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 30 the Manor

**Disclaimerio**: I am not JK Rowling and do not own Harry Potter or Harry Potter affiliated characters. Also the second half of this chapter is rated M.

* * *

The announcement came early May, just before midnight, as an amplified voice of their head of house. Harmony woke up with a start, having heard the announcement repeated, in her ear once more. She quickly put on her Potter guise and glasses after throwing her black cloak over her thin pajamas and placing her wand in her inner pocket. "Gather in the common room, everyone wake up..." She scratched her hair, ruffled it all up, so it looked like the end of a rooster. Just in case, she skipped over her slippers and put on her shoes.

She stepped out of her room, which was adjacent to the main room, to see McGonagall fully clothed with wand in hand pointed at her throat. "Prefects and Head girl, check each bed for any child still sleeping." Harmony stood against the wall, as her school mates in every year stood in their pajamas and cloaks. Harmony put her hands under her arm pits to keep them warm, and many others tried to warm their hands at the burned out fire.

It reminded her of muggle school when they practiced fire drills, but for the look that McGonagall gave them; a look very much like a bird discovering that its eggs had been cracked and plundered. She repeated the announcement, and when the prefects brought the last few children down the stairs with them, she started a head count. The relief was evident in her tone as she announced that all students were to sleep in the Great Hall that night. Ginny grabbed her arm then, and Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"What is wrong?" one of the 7th years asked who Harmony recognized but could not place a name to.

"There are students missing from school grounds," she said, "grab your pillows and blankets." Heads turned side to side as the chatting began. "Now."

"Professor," Harmony walked over to her professor, "are all of the houses gathering?"

"Yes, the other houses are missing students." Harmony had her mouth open, ready to ask who, but stopped.

"Why are we gathering?" she asked, as her fears ran with her thoughts.

"Because Albus has already left Hogwarts. If there is an attack-" she stopped her sentence and clenched her wand, "I fear the worst is yet to break in." Harmony could feel her Professor's thoughts as if they were her own. Her mind was miles away on a certain Dark Lord, and as Ginny stood next to Harmony, she had to stop her thoughts from turning dark.

"What do you think happened?" she asked.

"Dumbledore is after the missing students," Harmony said. Ginny's amazement showed briefly behind the girl's eyes before she put a hand to her face.

"He didn't tell you anything, then." Harmony couldn't even bring herself to be angry at the truth. A few minutes later they were walking with McGonagall, trailing blankets and pillows. When they pushed through the Great Hall's doors, Harmony saw that the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had already occupied separate corners. McGonagall lead them to the far right, and Harmony shivered as the draft made the hundreds of floating candles flicker. She set her blanket by the wall and sat atop her pillow. Ginny set up next to her, and they watched as their house mates huddled together like a bunch of patchwork squares in quilts.

Harmony watched as the Great Hall door's opened once more, and Snape lead the Slytherins in as well. Harmony instantly spotted the platinum blonde hair, and relaxed her shoulders. She hadn't even thought of what she would have done if he was one of the missing students. His eyes raked through the sea of students till he found her green ones.

She couldn't read him from where she sat, but as she looked down at the ring that joined them, the stormy gray hues let up and faded blue. She wondered if hers did the same. She looked past Draco, trying to fill the missing faces, but she knew so few of them. As the Slytherins camped down their sleeping arrangements opposite to them, she noticed one face missing, Theodore Nott. The head of houses and other professors gathered where the teachers normally ate, at the end of the Great Hall. They must have been discussing who was and was not missing.

There were some sniffling that came from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as friends were reported missing. Harmony scanned the floors and gave a breath of relief as the hay like hair of Luna popped against a bright purple blanket. She waved from where she sat, sitting with the candle light reflecting off the golden strands.

The stone floor was cold, but soon a warmth seeped through, and touched the stiff hands and feet. The candles began to extinguish, one by one, till a hazy glow lifted the ceiling. Harmony rested her head on her pillow, unable to sleep, and tired of thinking. She sat up when a faint light glowed by her face, and a hand beckoned her close. Harmony tread softly, missing the heads around her. She followed the tall woman out of the great Hall. "What has happened?" Harmony asked.

"Dumbledore told me that if something like this was to happen, then he had something for you." They went to his office, and McGonagall said the password "Twinkies." The statue reared back, and a stairway opened up.

"Why didn't he give it to me before?"

"It came sooner than he expected." The office opened, and McGonagall went to the desk, where two packages sat. She opened them up and Harmony frowned at the seemingly useless objects. What use did she have of a cracked ring and a fairy tale book of _Snow White_.

"What is this?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, Harmony, but Dumbledore has a reason for everything he does." Harmony didn't say anything, but nodded her head. She slipped the ring on her other hand, and they went down the staircase.

"He's coming back, right?" she asked.

"I don't know," McGonagall shook her head. She rejoined the other slumbering Gryffindors and read the book under her blanket. She was hoping for some hidden message within the text, but it was a common story of _Snow White_, similar to the muggle version. She closed the book, and shoved it underneath her pillow. Her last thoughts before closing her eyes were of the queen, as she gazed into the mirror.

* * *

The woman looked dead, like the blood had been drained from her body, from a wound to her heart, but even so, she was beautiful, timeless even. The woman was on a circle array, and the unmistakable thudding of a still beating heart pounded in Harmony's ears. Harmony saw the woman's face and woke up, dread making her cold, staring up at the flickering candles of the Great Hall. Narcissa Malfoy's bloodless face stared at her as Harmony closed her eyes. Harmony sat up, and shook the girl next to her. "Ginny," she whispered, "wake up." Harmony attempted to be quieter as someone else moved. "Ginny!" The girl opened her eyes, "we need to get out of here. Turn into a hawk and wake up Luna," Harmony whispered, as she kept her Potter mask in place.

Ginny thankfully didn't go back to sleep, as Ron would have done, and nodded her head. Harmony elongated her pillow and put it under her blanket, Ginny did the same. The next moment a caracal, blended into the shadows, as Flitwick, who was on duty, rested his tired eyes on his hands. She went passed sleeping bodies, making not a single soft noise, and in her human mind, she recalled where Draco had slept. She lay low, as if the sleeping students were wild grass.

Soon she saw Draco, with closed eyes, and brushed against his face with hers. At least the Slytherins gave each other enough space to breath and didn't lay blankets over each other. She rubbed against him again, and this time his gray eyes opened and felt the area she had touched. His hand froze when he saw the caracal's wide black pupils, and the little candle light flickering in her eyes. She was glad that he didn't make a noise, that he understood, as he stared into her cat eyes, what she wanted. Draco put his blanket and pillow by another boy and turned into a ferret. She crept along the wall, missing feet and heads, and made out the outline of Ginny and Luna waiting for her at the door. She pushed the door open with her weight, letting Luna climb over her, Ginny fly over her, and Draco scramble in from under her belly. They went as animals, and didn't stop till Harmony pushed open an empty class room. She changed into a girl, and her heart slowed back to that of a human's heart rate. At first she couldn't look at Draco, as she thought of what she was about to tell him.

"Did something happen?" Draco asked.

"Your mother is in danger," Harmony said, "we have to get to the Malfoy Manor." Draco looked taken aback, before keeping his face straight.

"How do-?"

"I saw it in a dream," Harmony said. It sounded weak even to her ears. "Voldemort and I share a connection," she said and tapped her scar, "that's why Snape is teaching me occlumency."

"Couldn't he be sending you something fake then," Draco asked.

"Yes, but it felt so real," she said, "It _was_ real."

"He wants you there," he said, as if it was obvious.

"It doesn't matter if it's a trap, I'd still go. She is dying Draco," Harmony said. She could see the doubt in his eyes, "we could get her now, before anything happens."

"Alright," he said after a pause, "but how are we going to get there? The Manor will be heavily guarded, we can't fly in, or walk in through the main doors."

"We can take the Thestrals," Ginny said.

"That's still flying," Luna said.

"Or I can ask Dobby to apparate us there," Harmony said.

"My old house elf?" Draco asked, "you're kidding."

"Elves are quite remarkable," she said. "Everyone underestimates them, and forgets how powerful their magic is."

"Let's get dressed then, and meet at the kitchens," Luna said. Harmony turned in to a caracal and bounded through the halls. Ginny flew above her head, and soon they made it to the Gryffindor portal. Harmony changed and grabbed her invisibility cloak, before checking the Marauder's map. The halls were clear, except that each entrance way to the outside was blocked by teachers. Hagrid and McGonagall had the main entrance. Leighton was at a side corridor, Hooch was by the Quidditch field, Trelawny was by the roof tower, while Sprout and Filch patrolled the halls.

Harmony didn't have to wait long for Ginny to run down the stairs taking two at a time. In a matter of minutes, they were at the kitchens, waiting for the others. When Draco and Luna showed up, Harmony threw the invisibility cloak over them, and they went to the kitchens to scratch the pear.

Harmony had never been in the kitchens at night, and was surprised to find it empty. "Dobby?" she called in the silence. A velvet blue light emptied below a door she had never been in, and when Harmony slid it open, she saw hundreds of rows of beds, stacked up like shelves on a book case. "Dobby?" Harmony called quietly again. She gave a start when bulging eyes of dozens of elves opened. Ginny, and Draco looked uneasy, as Harmony stepped further inside, like it was a parted sea. The house elves probably never had company at night, they stared at her. "Is Dobby here?" Harmony asked.

"18th row, seven up," an elf squeaked, who Harmony assumed to be female because of the two inch eyelashes. Harmony counted 18 rows, feeling sorry, that more and more elves were waking up. She recognized him by the socks she had recently given to him for Christmas tucked on his feet, going up to the elve's knees. She touched Dobby's arm, and the elf's green tennis ball eyes opened. He looked confused at her.

"Who are you?" he asked, and Harmony realized that her Harry mask was off. She changed her face for Dobby to see, and the house elf looked at her in shock.

"Dobby, I need to ask you a favor," she said.

His mouth opened and closed like a gold fish, but he nodded his head and hopped off from where he slept, a few feet from the ground. When they left the Elves sleeping room, Dobby turned to the now boy looking Potter. " Harry Potter, why did you look like a girl?"

"Dobby, long story short, I am a girl. Alright, you know how there are missing kids?" Dobby nodded his head reluctantly, and tried not to make eye contact with Draco. "Can you-"

"Master Potter is a Mistress?" Dobby asked, "why didn't Dobby know?"

"It's secret, but Dobby, this is important. I need you to apparate us to the Malfoy Manor." Dobby looked anything but enthused. His ears flopped against his head as he repeated to himself how unsafe it was. "We want to save the students and Draco's mum." Harmony didn't know how Narcissa treated Dobby, but the way that the elf had no reaction, hinted at it.

"Come on Harmony, we're losing time, let's go on the thestrals," Ginny said.

"Dobby, please," Harmony said and kneeled in front of him, looking into his green eyes, as she almost pleaded, "I really need your help."

"It's too dangerous," Dobby said, and Harmony looked crestfallen, "but Dobby will try." Harmony beamed at the elf, hugging the small creature in her arms.

In order to apparate to the Malfoy Manor, Harmony had them go through the shortest Hogsmead tunnel, and still she felt like they were fighting time. She had no way of knowing if Narcissa was still breathing. The last thing Harmony did before Dobby apparated was to throw the invisibility cloak over them with all of their arms holding each other. A crack split the air, right before her whole being shifted, like she was squeezed down a tunnel with an opening the size of a Galleon. She almost lost balance when her feet touched a hard floor.

From under the cloak, Harmony could make out counter tops, sinks, pots and pans. Though she couldn't see, Harmony was glad that they were some place that wasn't, say, in the middle of Voldemort's chamber room. "No one ever goes in here," Dobby said, "none of the masters and Mistresses did." Draco squinted in the dark, and he frowned, not recognizing any thing.

"Never been here in my life," he said, and Harmony didn't bother thinking too deeply how ridiculous that sounded.

Harmony concentrated, making sure that they were the only ones there. "Do you know where we are, at least?" Ginny asked.

"The back of the house," Dobby said, "near the china room and trophy room." Draco lifted a corner of the cloak over his head, and Harmony almost pulled him back, but stopped as the others did the same.

"So what's the plan?" Luna asked.

"We find Dumbledore, the students and Draco's mother, then we high tail out of here," Harmony said, not even realizing that there was no how.

"There are the dungeons, the students may be there." Draco suggested. He didn't notice the others giving him strange looks. Harmony realized that he didn't even think it was odd to have dungeons in his house.

"What about Dumbledore?" Ginny asked.

"He can handle himself," Draco said, "he'll be in the thick of things." They took a few steps in the darkness, and Harmony was reminded of all the horror muggle movies that she had ever watched, and all the times she had said 'don't go in there' to the actors. She contemplated grabbing a handle of a knife, or anything, but she reminded herself that her wand was a loaded gun.

"Stay here, Dobby," she said to the elf, "wait for us." Dobby nodded his head, and they slowly made it to the far corner where a stream of light drifted underneath a door. Their wands were pointed out, and Harmony held the invisibility cloak in her other hand before draping it over them once more. "Where are the dungeons?" Harmony asked.

"Below the cellar," Draco whispered, with a hand on the kitchen door. It opened soundlessly, and while their eyes constricted from the light, Harmony noted that no one was there. They took a few steps, while Draco lead them, and looked at the disarray. It wasn't the Manor that Draco remembered, she could tell by the look from his face as he observed the ripped paintings and the cracked ceiling and walls. They passed rooms, and soon Draco lead them to a bolted door. With a sharp click, it reacted to his touch, and they walked in the narrow passage that sloped downwards.

"I've been here before," Harmony muttered as they passed door after door. Some were open, and they could see uninhabited chains against the walls. She wondered how anyone could have a dungeon in their house, with people screaming to be let out.

"How?" Ginny asked.

"In a dream, I saw it," the torches flickered a misty gray as they passed. It was Peter Pettigrew who was locked up the last time she was there, she didn't want to imagine the students or Narcissa in a similar state. They rushed forward, till the main hall underground opened and leveled out. The ceiling extended to a dome shape and an oculus streamed in light from above. "I don't hear anything," Harmony whispered. They stopped, and Harmony stepped closer, trying to see if there was anyone behind the enclosed cells.

She winced as her forehead burst in pain. A foreign wicked pleasure of having killed someone drilled into her scar. A name swept through her head, like a passing thought. "Dumbledore," she hissed and got down to a knee. A blue stream of magic fired at them, and Harmony watched as it bounced off a hastily casted shield and returned to the sender. The man shrieked, with a wand to the dark mark, and Harmony was hoisted up. Her head still pounded, with the drumming all she could contain. She saw the headmaster, on the floor, with a charred arm bent back at an impossible angle. She didn't know if he was dead, and it took all her effort not to join in on Voldemort's uncontrolled glee.

Her eyes dilated, she couldn't afford to have Voldemort in her head. After a moment, when the emotions cut off, her eyes rested on Draco's jaw line. She was in his arms as he ran, and Harmony then noticed that it was only the two of them. "Where's Ginny and Luna?" Harmony asked. His eyes met her briefly before concentrating on where they were going.

"They ran the other way," Draco said, almost out of breath.

"We should go back for them."

"They have the invisibility cloak, they will be fine."

"You can let me down now." She could hear them running closer, and Harmony slipped from his arms to run to the cellar door. It didn't open when she touched it. "How do you-"

Draco reached from behind her, and twisted the knob. "When the house is under attack, a lot of the doors will lock down, and only a Malfoy can get through." They left the cellar open, and Draco and Harmony turned into animals just as two death eaters passed. Though it wasn't the most brave thing to do, Harmony reverted to a girl and shot them in the backs with stunning spells.

"What happened back there?" Draco asked as he changed as well.

"I got a vision from Voldemort, and I think Dumbledore is dead or at least incredibly hurt."

"That can't be," Draco said.

"Let's go that way," Harmony pointed where the Death Eaters had come from. They ran, dodging broken furniture. Harmony put out her hand, when she thought she heard something strange. It was a piercing laughter. With a finger to her mouth, they crept along the blackened wall toward the only slightly ajar room. Her caracal form leaped to the ground, and slunk through the door. She could see the outlines of robed figures, black against the drawn, shredded velvet of the curtains. Her ears perked, as something large enough to be a body thudded and clattered to the floor, as the Death Eaters continued to yell hexes.

She watched as Voldemort picked the slender wand from Dumbledore's limp grasp, and lifted it curiously over his head. "At last_,_" he yelled. Theodore Nott stood at the back, where Crabe and Goyle held the slumbering kidnapped students. Fenrir Greyback lay on the ground, a puddle of blood outlining his body. "Dumbledore is dead!" Voldemort laughed. "Nyeah eh hey!"

Harmony turned to the gray eyed ferret, who looked nervously across the room at his father then to her.

"_Now to finish Narcissia_," he hissed to Nagini.

'_There is still time to save Draco's mum_,' Harmony thought. Voldemort looked to his forearm where the dark mark burned black.

"Leave NOW! All of you!" Voldemort shouted. "Find the intruders!" They flattened themselves against the wall, and watched as Death Eaters were driven out of the room. Her eyes turned to slits when she saw Snape among them.

As Lucious took one last look at his wife's prone figure, his eye twitched involuntarily. "Should I stay to protect you my Lord?" Lucious asked.

"GO!" Voldemort screeched. Lucious jerked as if struck, and ran after the others. Voldemort turned to the woman, allowing Harmony to prowl under a dismantled table, closer to Draco's mum.

The Dark Lord stood over her, twisting the wand that he took from Dumbledore in his long fingers. He flipped the wand up and wood became steel, elongating to a deadly point. "Such beauty," he whispered. Voldemort kicked the body over on to her back, and her neck lolled off to the side. He raised the sword high, poised over her heart. Even though Harmony didn't have a human face, the whites of her eyes shown in shock, and reflected the image of Voldemort swinging the knife down. She gave a low hiss, as Draco shot up.

"STOP!" Draco howled, "NOT MY MOTHER!" But Voldemort didn't even pause, he struck just below the collar bone, carving apart ribs. "NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Draco swiped his wand aiming for the sword, and Voldemort knocked Draco's magic to the floor. Crooked black nails dove into the wound, tearing out her heart. Blood blossomed outwards, spilling to the floor. He raised the pulsing heart to his lips, and took a bite. Harmony felt her body freeze and all the fur on her body stood up. He had killed her, just like Cedric, and Harmony felt the numbness and disbelief of the violence of it.

Draco stumbled back, as Nagini slithered over, protecting her master. As Voldemort devoured the remainder of the heart, Harmony crept closer. "_Reducto_!" Draco shouted, blasting the snake across the room, where it hissed angrily at him.

"Ah," Voldemort exhaled, his wet fingers caressing a newly formed nose. Voldemort stroked the blond hair that now streamed across his head.

He killed her to be beautiful, but the fine blond arches, and silky hair looked appalling, like make up plastered on a monster. She felt revulsion clench through her and Harmony hunched up, ready to strike. The door burst open and Death Eaters stopped as they witnessed their Lord. Lucious Malfoy dropped to his knees in horror.

Voldemort turned to Draco and sneered. "Now it's your turn you little traitor." Harmony watched with bristling anger as Draco didn't have time to react and Voldemort shot him with _crucio_. Hands held Lucious Malfoy back, as his son screamed.

But no hands held Harmony back as she leaped ten feet through the air, latching on to Voldemort's hand. It was satisfying, feeling the bones crunch beneath her teeth, as Voldemort yelled. The wand slipped from the Dark Lord's grasp, as he shook her caracal form off. Harmony dropped down to the ground, hissing with her lips drawn, before reverting back to a girl, and wiping the blood from her mouth. Voldemort clutched his ruined hand, glaring at her. She could feel the Dark Lord prying into her mind and she slammed him out.

"Who are you?" Voldemort asked.

"My name is Harmony Black. Bitch." Harmony stated, carefully enunciating the _bitch_, and glaring coldly as Voldemort gaped.

"How dare you," Voldemort snatched up his wand, "come here, _imperio_."

Harmony felt the magic, seductively flitting across her mind, compelling her to move forward. "Fuck you," she hissed. His eyes narrowed.

A burst of wandless magic pushed Voldemort a step back as he reflected it away. His crooked teeth showed as flames erupted from his wand, and Harmony blocked it just as the flames licked her sleeves. She clutched her wand, as rage urged her to kill him. Curses and hexes shattered marble and exploded antiques as they missed their targets. None of the Death Eaters moved as their Lord fought against a fifteen year old girl.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" he shouted. A green surge of magic struck the stunned form of a Hufflepuff first year girl. She lay as she had before, with her pigtails sticking out, except the gleam faded from her eyes, and she stared out with a glassy look. He pointed his wand at Draco next, who was hunched against the wall. "Come," he commanded Harmony with malice. "Unless you want his death on your hands."

Harmony froze, looking over at Narcissa whose blood still spread across the marble. She heard Draco call out to her, "No, Harmony, don't." She couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"_Avada_-" Voldemort began to say.

"STOP!" Harmony steeled herself, staring into those red serpentine eyes. She stepped toward him. "You can kill me," she said, "but I promise you, it won't get you what you want."

Voldemort sneered, transfiguring his wand into a curved dagger, and Harmony didn't take her eyes away from him, even as she felt metal pierce her flesh. Until pain flooded her, and she saw nothing more.

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end of chapter 30

This is as far as I got in NaNoWriMo, but I plan to finish Harmony Lives by the New Year.


	31. Chapter 31 the Murder

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 31 The Murder

**Disclaimi**-_ Harry Potter_ will never be mine! Long live JK Rowling, the master mind!  


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It was white, almost blinding, with columns and tracks. Harmony took a few steps, wondering how she had gotten to a cleaner kings cross station. She touched her chest, and didn't feel the pain of a torn heart. A slight cry emitted from underneath a bench, and Harmony got down to her knees. At first she thought it was a skinned baby, with limbs too long and bony, to do anything but twitch. She had to step away and close her eyes from looking into the face of Voldemort.

"It's pitiful, isn't it?" Harmony turned at the sound of the soft voice, and gasped as she recognized her mother. "The Horucrux that Voldemort never intended to make."

"That's what a severed soul looks like? What will happen to it?" Harmony asked. Lilly shrugged in reply. Harmony looked into the face of her mother, and placed a tentative hand on her shoulder. She felt solid and warm. Harmony looked hopefully up at her mum, as the older woman smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you." Lilly said.

"Am I dead?" Harmony asked.

"Yes, but not for long. It seems like someone wants you to live."

"Mum," Harmony hesitated, but she knew if she didn't say this now, she wouldn't get another chance. "I'm dating a Slytherin..." She trailed off, not sure how to voice her concerns. Would her mum think that she was making a bad decision?

"When I grew up, I got to know a young Slytherin, and he was the best friend I ever had." Lily touched her daughter's cheek. "And his name was Severus Snape."

Harmony looked at her mum weirdly. She was friends with one of her professors? Then why did he fail her in everything?

"I can trust him?" Harmony frowned as her mother nodded.

Lilly Potter tried to say something else, but everything started to blur. Harmony thought she could read "I love you," on her mother's lips, but the light was dimming, and she became aware of a sharp pain in her chest. The pain was intense, more than any she had ever felt before, and Harmony turned against it, then fell asleep.

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end of chapter 31

Because you guys asked so nicely, here you go.


	32. Chapter 32 Methodical

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 32 Methodical

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Special thanks to my sister who wrote a good deal of this chapter, stating that I was taking too long. As I supervised and directed, very much annoyed.

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It was like a billion hippogriffs ravaged his body at the same time, clawing and tearing, slashing and ripping every part of him. And all Draco could think as the pain took over his body was that he had failed, and his mother was dead. Thinking of his mother was worse than having the locket pressed against him, worse than the crucio and Draco locked the thought of his mother into a dark corner, so he wouldn't drown in it.

All at once the pain stopped, and Draco pulled enough strength together to raise his head. In time to see that very thing that haunted him, the only thing that could ruin everything. Harmony had launched herself at the Dark Lord as a caracal. He could see the bones snap in the Dark Lord's hand. He watched, as she stood in front of him, protectively, and reverted back into a girl.

Draco heard Harmony and the Dark Lord talking, but it was as if they were behind a closed door, as a ringing flooded his ears. He watched as his girlfriend battled the Dark Lord. Thinking the entire time how much smaller she was, thinking of all the stronger wizards who had fallen before, like Dumbledore who had not even had time to grow cold on the floor.

The two shot hexes at one another, and seemed almost evenly matched, until the Dark Lord shot a green light at one of the Hufflepuff students, and Draco knew that he had shot to kill. The wand was pointed next at his face. Draco froze, as all the blood drain out of him. He had never had to think about his own death before.

He couldn't see Harmony's eyes, but could still practically read the words that must have been floating around her pretty head. She was going to be a human sacrifice. She was going to die for him. "No, Harmony, don't." He said. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't lose his mother and his girlfriend on the same day.

But she didn't listen. She stepped forward to the Dark Lord, right in front of him, not even flinching or looking away as he turned his wand once more into a knife. Draco didn't see the knife as it stabbed her, but he saw the blood pool at her feet within moments. She hunched forward as the life went out of her and she slid sideways to the ground with a final thud. And this time Draco screamed out, silently in his own mind, as if he were choking.

He was shaking, and it took him a moment to notice that the Dark Lord, too, fell to the ground and lost consciousness. But Draco ignored him, and pushed himself up, crawling his way over to hilt of the knife was still entrenched in her body, and Draco couldn't leave it there. He felt his emotions surging to the surface, and tugging at the corners of his eyes and he pushed them back savagely. His hand slid over the slick blood as he pulled out the knife and tossed it to the side. He didn't think about how the ring on his finger that Harmony had given him turned dull like any other normal ring. He squashed the thoughts that she wasn't a mouse, she was Harmony. He pulled out his wand and began to murmur healing charms. The flow of blood ebbed, but Draco could see that she already had lost too much. Blood traveled back into the wound, and he noticed that part of her heart had been severed.

He didn't think that she had enough time or strength even to apparate into Saint Mungos. She would be dead in his arms, and Draco put in all of his concentration and precision in his magic to seal the wound. Slowly, methodically, he healed her, and with a final murmur of "_animum pulsare_," he stopped. Having done everything that he could have done. He watched her, concentrating on her face. Putting every ounce of his focus into looking for a sign, for any change.

For a moment she remained still, and Draco didn't know how long he could push away the pain that kept clawing its way to the surface. But then she took a small breath. At the sight of her breathing, Draco let go of some of the control and the tightness in his mind. He suddenly became aware of the forty Death Eaters in the room, his father included, who were watching him.

Draco looked over at Voldemort and didn't know if his predicament was permanent or not. Even now, some Death Eaters had turned to their master. Without looking at his father, or wondering what he would do if anyone tried to stop him, Draco scooped Harmony up in his arms, holding her gently to him, and unstunned the Hufflepuff students by the wall. Three of them scrambled to their feet, shaking with fear, and Draco gestured them over. He didn't even have time to say his farewell to his mother, as he passed all of the searing eyes and left the room.

He walked past all the destroyed finery, toppled paintings, and broken chunks of marble wall that used to be his home. As he made his way back to the elf, the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw children chattered at him, but he ignored them, not hearing the words that they said. All he could focus on was getting to Dobby and then getting Harmony to St. Mungos. As he walked, he heard footsteps and turned to see Ginny and Luna stepping out of nothing, as they pulled off Harmony's invisibility cloak.

"Oh God, what happened?" Ginny asked. But he ignored her as well, continuing to walk down the hallway, making his way down to the kitchens.

"Draco!" He heard the curt call of his father. Draco paused in his walk, before he chose to ignore it and keep on going. His father's long stride caught up with him, and Draco felt a hand at his shoulder. He looked into the other man's gray eyes impassively.

"Are you alright?" Lucious Malfoy asked his son. And Draco stared at him.

"Yes father, I'm fine." He responded in a flat voice, unlike his own.

"I'll take her to Saint Mungos," his father said.

Draco considered the offer, and nodded, turning to Ginny and saying, "could you take the first years back to Hogwarts?" The red haired girl hesitated to leave Harmony, but agreed, grabbing the hands of a set of kids and running down the halls with them, with Luna at her tail.

Lucious offered his hand, which Draco took, and he felt the familiar tug at the core of him, as his father apparated. They appeared with a crack amidst the hustle of the hospital, as green robed wizards and witches with face masks scattered about.

After Lucious had a word with a woman at the front desk, Harmony was rushed to a private room, where immediate care was provided to her. Draco took a seat in the room and silently watched as the medi-wizards worked on Harmony. He was numb. Most of it he knew would hit him later, and he would deal with that when the time came for it.

But there was one pressing emotion that wouldn't go away, and he examined it with curiosity. He loved her. It was a strange time to discover it, but it was the only thing he was sure of right now. He touched the ring that spiraled with an auburn brown color.

"So who is she?" His father finally asked.

"My girlfriend, Harmony," Draco replied, "Sirius Black's daughter."

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end of Chapter 32


	33. Chapter 33 Measureless

**Harmony lives**

Chapter 33 Measureless

**disclaimious**- I must not tell lies. I must not tell lies. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. It is a fictional book that never will be mine, nor do I make a single Knut from it.

* * *

Harmony's eyes lifted to a bright light, and for a second she thought she was back at kings cross station. She tried to move, at least to find her wand, but even that brought a dull ache to her chest. A light noise made her go stiff, and she turned her head, painfully, and relaxed. Draco sat by her side, and just as he noticed her looking at him, he wiped the wet trails from his eyes.

Harmony slowly propped her body up, to touch where his sleeve had brushed, but he got to her first, and lightly held her.

It took her a few seconds to catch up. She put a hand over the bandages that covered her beating heart. The pain quelled as she realized what hell Draco must have been going through. Her hand drifted to the side of his face, where she felt what hadn't been completely dried away. Her thoughts were cloudy as she looked into his gray eyes, and she didn't have to look down at her ring to know the sorrow that resided there. His head moved down to her shoulder and Harmony felt as his hair tickled her cheek. "The most beautiful sound I have ever heard is the beating of your heart," Draco said, "I found that out after the silence."

"Draco...," Harmony said, softly at first, but didn't know what to say. He lifted his head from her, and Harmony saw that his eyes were pink and caught the bright light.

"Shite Harmony, what the hell were you thinking?" Draco asked. "Does your life mean anything to you?"

Harmony grazed his hands after a pause, "of course."

"I'd rather die than see my mother and you die in front of me," he looked away from her, "fucking hell."

"I would too," Harmony tried to smile, "I'm so sorry. You were right, we shouldn't have gone...It's my fault." His eyes caught hers.

"Don't-, at least... I got the chance to try to save her." Draco lightly held her fingers before bringing them to his lips. "Thank you."

She saw the words that he didn't need to say as she held his gaze as he leaned closer to her. His kiss brought her a small smile that molded to his lips and she only had to stop when her heart rushed till it hurt. She rested onto her pillow and Draco pulled his chair even closer so that he could hold her hand.

"Ginny and Luna?" Harmony asked.

"They took the first years back to Hogwarts with Dobby. My Father apparated us here." Harmony blinked up in surprise, "now he's in hiding."

"And Hogwarts?"

"It's been a day," Draco said, "classes are cancelled, and -well Dumbledore's funeral is tomorrow."

"We should get back," Harmony said, "before they notice."

"Headmistress McGonagall knows, and a professor will come to pick us up."

"Headmistress McGonagall? That's- wow," Harmony closed her eyes feeling as the exhaustion leaded her down, she watched him for as long as she could, till her eyes pulled shut.

* * *

The blood had been removed from her school robes, and the torn up fabric mended. She still wore the bandages over her chest, and when they were cleaned, she traced the pink outline of a faint scar over her heart.

It was Professor Snape who ended up arriving for them in Harmony's room, and the man stood rigid as the medi-witch bustled around the propped up girl. It didn't help that Draco kept glaring at Snape, and the distrust was as plain as Snape's nose was hooked. He kept his silence until the medi-witch left the room, with her self-writing clipboard floating on after her.

Snape glowered at Harmony, "Of all the arrogant, idiotic plans, even you should have known better than that. What were you even doing there?" His look turned from dark to livid, when he saw that the girl didn't even seem to be taken aback.

"What were you doing there?" Draco laughed, "you're one to talk."

"The Dark Lord plans to hunt you down. He's going to go to Hogwarts, after you, and it will happen soon." Snape drawled. And seeing Harmony unfazed Snape seethed, "Don't you even care?"

But Harmony just watched the man with a curious expression on her face. "The Dark Lord has always wanted me dead, since I was a baby. But I have a question for you. Why didn't you ever tell me that you were friends with my mum?"

Professor Snape had opened his mouth, ready with another retort. His mouth snapped shut instead. Harmony watched as the anger drained out of the man.

"Who told you?" Snape barely whispered.

"My mum. I saw her when I was dead." Harmony replied. Snape searched her eyes, and Harmony didn't even try to block him out. The image of her mother at Kings Cross and the words _he was the best friend I ever had_ flitted through her mind.

"Are you recovered?" Snape asked expressionlessly, and Harmony nodded in reply, "then I shall return you to Hogwarts."

* * *

end of Chapter 33

Who do you think I had seriously fattened up to kill, for years, but ended up not being able to?


	34. Chapter 34 The Moment

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 34 The Moment (you have all been waiting for: no, I don't write lemons, I mean Voldemort fight scene!)

**Disclaimerio**- I'm not J K Rowling. She's a really nice lady though. You should read the stuff that she has written, it's really good.

* * *

It was a gray afternoon that Dumbledore was buried, cloudy and seeping with undertones of orange. Harmony stood off to the side as Harry Potter, feeling as the cool wind played with her hair. The black lake rippled against the shore, with faces just below the surface, watching with yellowed eyes. Ringed around the lake, the centaurs had come to pay their respects. Standing solemnly with their bows slung across their backs and pawing their hooves anxiously into the muddy ground.

She watched as a few of the first years cried, and Harmony wondered why she couldn't even muster one tear. If only it would rain, then something would be falling across her face. She crossed her arms, feeling the edge of her dragon necklace under her shirt, which ended a short ways above where the scar ended. Ginny took a step closer, and Harmony reached down and held her hand in her own, and neither of them cared if a student happened to look.

Mixed among the Hogwarts students, Harmony could spot members of the Order, looking solemn in their robes of black. Remus caught her eye, and Harmony reminded herself to listen as McGonagall said her parting words over Dumbledore's white marble tomb. She looked at her fingers hooked with Ginny's and she noticed that her own hands were just as soft. Everything felt surreal, almost peaceful, so when the black speck began to grow across the lake, Harmony wouldn't have believed the fire that began to rain down.

It was Snape who knew first. He had his arm clutched as he rushed to McGonagall and whispered something into her ear. The parting words faded from her mouth, and magnified once more as she told them all to get back into the castle. Professors acted at once, scrambling up the students to the main doors, all the while the gray clouds dulled, morphing and taking shape.

Harmony wasn't the only one looking up, as students shot passed her. She squinted at the black shape as it approached, watching as a bat like creature came closer till a line of flames poured forth. "It's a dragon," Ginny said, just as the color of midnight arched over their heads and a tendril of smoke streamed after the dragon. But it wasn't the dragon that made Harmony's throat constrict.

Laughter came from the rider, who was watching children as they were nearly engulfed in flames. Students cried out as they threw themselves away from the line of fire, while others stood their ground with wands drawn, squinting at the other black streaks fast approaching. "It's Voldemort," Harmony pulled Ginny and Luna with her, heading towards the castle.

"I destroyed Dumbledore!" Voldemort shrieked as she flew over the dead man's tomb, making it erupt in flames. The fire was put out by one of the professors, blackening it, but the children ran with a new desperation.

"But is that even a man?" Ginny asked quickly with her wand poised in the air as the dragon swooped back their way. The figure on the dragon had blond and brown streaks in her hair, with a melange of facial features from multiple women. Harmony's stomach seized as she wondered how many hearts Voldemort had devoured to look like that.

"Voldemort was resurrected using my blood, which turned him into a woman," Harmony explained as she led Ginny and Luna away.

"That's messed up," Ginny muttered.

"He didn't know that it would happen-"

"Harry Potter!" Voldemort amplified her voice and a chorus of Death Eaters jeered, "See what I have become? Come out and play with me or Hogwarts will burn." A jet of fire snaked around the Gryffindor tower, and Harmony watched as windows shattered.

"She wouldn't kill pure bloods," Luna said by Harmony's side, but Harmony knew what Voldemort could do.

"Come on." Faces blurred, blanched and nameless, as Harmony stopped at the door. She let go of the two girls and faced them with a small smile. The unmistakable howl of a werewolf was followed by four more calls, and Harmony knew that she had to act quick, before the doors locked.

Luna and Ginny pulled her close, and the sting of parting caught her throat. "This isn't the end," Ginny whispered into her ear, and Harmony tore herself from them without words to betray her. They would fight for her, rallying the students.

Something big and heavy rattled the walls, and Harmony stepped outside once more where professors and Order of the Phoenix members fought against Death Eaters who spiraled like comets burning black with coal.

"Harry Potter!" Voldemort screeched in every students' minds, "Do not make me kill every child before reaching you!"

Harmony ducked under iron knights that stood poised against approaching ogres. Voldemort had brought an army to fight her, and Harmony should have been flattered. A pang of sorrow welled inside her, as a chill descended from the castle wall. Colors swarmed and darkened, scattering her vision, and Harmony shuddered before a patronus leapt from her wand. The door was in her sights and she blasted it open.

Her locker was at the Gryffindor end, and Harmony had the broom in her hand when she heard the door open behind her. She turned, stopping, and her Harry Potter face fell away. She didn't want to see him. "Draco," she said softly. It was obvious that he had followed her.

He took a few long strides and held her close. "You don't have to do this. We could escape together." This was why she hadn't wanted to see him. In his arms it was almost impossible to tear herself from him. Draco had one hand trailing through her short hair, tenderly, till he slipped her glasses off, hooking them to the front of her robes. His eyes shown like steel with a glint of something more and irresistible. Yes would have been the easy answer.

"Voldemort killed everyone I care about. I don't have to do this. I want to," she reminded herself. As long as Voldemort lived, death would follow her. Harmony could never hide for the rest of her life, knowing that Voldemort was out there, murdering and tearing the world apart.

His eyes searched hers, concentrating, as if looking for the golden snitch. "I love you," he said with words that choked her with longing and hurt. She kissed him, slow at first, but an urgency pushed her against him. The kiss deepened, aching with a heat for more. It was simple. She loved him, but saying so would make leaving cruel. The beating of her heart timed the kiss, till she gripped his front robes almost desperately, and left. She was soaring high into the air aware of the tingling and wetness on her lips, and had to bite the bottom of her lip. With a hand to her face, Harry Potter returned. By then the dragon reared in front of her.

She steadied her broom, glaring at the Dark Lord, and felt her disgust mount. The dragon's scales shimmered the color of midnight and spikes aligned its back, making Harmony wonder how she was sitting without being skewered. Rows of teeth smiled back, gleaming wet with saliva and venom, ready to take an arm from her, in its thin, elongated body. In the dragon's eyes she could see her reflection,dripped with the color of blood and she clenched her wand tight. "Ah, Potter," Lady Voldemort smiled viciously, "it's so nice to see you." Harmony could feel the power behind the dragon's wings as the wind unsteadied her, and all she could think was, oh, not again.

"It wasn't enough to just kill him," Harmony said as she looked down to where Dumbledore's coffin crumbled to reveal a half burnt body. The distinct smell of burning flesh and wood was all that she could smell, making her shudder. Voldemort smiled behind plump red lips that still showed crooked teeth, and patted Dumbledore's wand almost lovingly. Looking at her up close made Harmony want to gag. It wasn't that she looked worse as a snake head. It was knowing that different faces were looking back at her, women who had been killed for the illusion of beauty. She could see parts of Narcissa, features that she knew Draco had as well, that made her feet and hands go cold. Voldemort was hideous, wearing the dead faces of women like prizes. She had to stop him.

"He died a fool, groveling for the lives of worthless children. Will you do the same Potter?" Voldemort laughed with her head bent back and smoke streamed from the nostrils of the dragon. "There is no one to protect you here, Potter, you will be mine to destroy."

"Yeah," Harmony laughed, "I'd like to see you try." She veered right, pressing her body to her broom and shot over the Black Lake. A blast of flames barely missed her, and Harmony swerved each time she heard a shrill '_AVADA KEDAVRA_'! She sent curses over her head with meager success, all the while feeling the hot breath of the dragon licking her back. Why the hell did Voldermort have a dragon? It was rather unfair at the moment. Harmony took them further from Hogwarts, deep into the mountains. She dived into the canopy of leaves, dodging branches as she came in too fast, and trees burst in flames around her. The sound of snapping branches was just behind her, and Harmony flew on with a cold sweat making her numb.

The dragon roared in frustration, and Harmony heard the angry hisses coming from Voldemort. She vaguely wondered why she couldn't understand the hissy fit, when a killing curse hit the tree in front of her. She didn't see the bark turn black as she swept passed it, going deeper through the expanse of forest. "Face me Potter! I want to watch your head burned off!" A burst of flames hit her robes and Harmony felt the itching pain before her clothes alighted. _Shite. Shite. Shite_. As if she could stop, drop and roll in the air. The heat became unbearable, and Harmony was losing control of her broom. With a wand pointed over her shoulder, she felt the relief of water drenching her charred clothes. When she looked back, her firebolt was steaming with smoke and Harmony had no time to react as the tip of the dragon's tail slugged her into a tree. She dropped like a stone.

The thuds of her body hitting into branches mingled with Voldemort's laughter. Her blistering back broke the fall and she gasped in pain. The forest floor shook as the dragon landed by her head and Harmony saw her firebolt caught in a branch before the dragon's mouth opened to strike. Harmony rolled away, and Voldemort laughed as she grabbed the curved horns. "You're dead Potter!" she cried out in utter glee. She saw her wand by the dragon's back feet, and hoped that it wouldn't snap it in half. Harmony pulled off her outer robes from which smoke still drifted.

"Fight me one to one, Voldemort!" Harmony yelled. The dragon pawed the ground and its wings flared.

"No Potter, you're not even worthy to fight me." Voldemort kicked the dragon and it reared up, anger making tendrils of smoke seep through its snout. It lumbered her way, tearing out trees, all the while Voldemort watched with piercing red eyes. The dragon over came her easily, and soon the felled trees made a clearing. She had no wand, and Harmony knew that with one bite it would be over.

As she backed away from the approaching dragon, a branch caught her foot, making her fall. This momentary distraction allowed for the dragon to pounce. It sailed in a perfect arch, claws extended and jaws ready to rip her in half. Harmony could see Voldemort's bliss, right before zoning in on the dragon. It was when they made eye contact that she felt a warmth over her heart. She didn't fear the dragon, or approaching death. She thought of her parents, of Sirius, and finally of Draco before closing her eyes.

Claws pinned her shoulder down and Harmony waited for the bite to her neck. She could feel the hot breath of the dragon and the aching stabs as the roots dug into her burned back. When the dragon snorted in her face, she looked up in surprise. Its nostrils flared as it sniffed and went through her white collared shirt. "What? Why isn't Potter screaming?" Voldemort looked over the dragon's horns and peered down. The dragon prodded at her shirt till the Malfoy heirloom slipped out, and Harmony realized that it was the dragon necklace Draco had given her that spread a warmth over her chest. "What?" Voldemort screeched and began hissing angrily at the dragon. Harmony met the dragon's red eyes as she recalled Draco's words to her,_ it's said that dragon's blood or poison is at the center... _

The screech from the dragon could have been heard miles away, and Harmony sank into the tree trunk as it pointed its head up. A livid snarl came from Voldemort as she kicked the beast in the neck, "you will obey me!" The dragon would have none of that, it twisted its body, throwing itself at trees, trying to shake the mad women off. Harmony pulled herself shakily up and went where she had last seen her wand. With it in her hands, she faced Voldemort who had wisely dismounted the dragon and was now trying to _avada kedavara_it. "You worthless traitor!" Voldemort howled. With the dragon gone, she snapped her head at Harmony and breathed in short gasps. "It doesn't matter, I still am more powerful." Their wands were pointed at each other and Harmony smirked at Voldemort.

"Do you even know why you are a woman?" Harmony asked suddenly.

"Because the rat blotched up my resurrection, and I became incomplete." Voldemort took a step closer over a fallen trunk.

"You're wrong," Harmony continued to smirk as Voldemort sneered, "it is because you took my blood." Harmony removed the glasses from her face and threw them to the ground. "I guess it is only fair that you see what has brought your downfall." Harmony removed the magic from her face and a girl looked back at Voldemort. The response was instantaneous.

"YOU!" Voldemort roared from the back of her throat, like it was a curse. She searched the girl's eyes, not even having to read her mind to piece parts of it together. "How- No. Severus _lied_ to me!"

"The horcruxes are gone, you made sure of that," Harmony continued, "it's over."

"NO!" Voldemort screamed, "I am the most powerful, I possess the elder wand, and I will cut your heart out, Potter!" Harmony had to push away the pity that rose in her, and she shook her head.

"It's not too late to repent, Riddle." Voldemort's eyes widened in an insuppressible rage.

"Silence! You dare mock me? I will carve your face out, throw your remains across Hogwarts. Death will be your only blessing." Harmony was beginning to have a headache. Her wand felt heavy in her hands and she lifted it steadily in front of her. She took a step closer, anticipation humming through her wand. This would be the end.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA_!"

"_EXPELLIARMUS_!"

A surge of green and red magic met. Harmony watched as Voldemort's sneering face fell, as neither spell would relent. Both of Harmony's hands trembled as she poured her magic into the spell. She felt the ache of her heart as it pounded blood through her, almost violently. The red was slowly overtaking the green, and she watched the disbelief cross Voldemort's eyes before the green rebounded.

Voldemort's body thudded to the ground and Harmony watched as the many faces that she had stolen left her one by one, till platinum blonde hair fell away and her nose caved in.

She stumbled back, sore and exhausted, and put a hand through her hair. They probably would expect her to parade in the dead body, to end all of the fighting. But all she felt was numbness. She peeled the elder wand from Voldemort's vice like grip and stuffed it in her pocket, knowing that she had to bring it back to Dumbledore. She moved slowly as she retrieved her firebolt from the tree, and didn't even look at the dead body before taking off, steadying her broom, and soaring over the forest. It didn't take her long till Hogwarts was in view, with the fighting almost over as the remainder of the Death Eaters either littered the grounds, took off, or fought with the conviction that their Lord would never fall. At the sight of the dead bodies her eyes closed, and she knew that war had entered the castle.

This was her victory, but Harmony didn't have the heart to put on her mask anymore. She flew to her window, collected her meager girl belongings and left everything Harry related how it was. With one last look she threw the invisibility cloak over her head and mounted her firebolt. The beginnings of cheers could be heard through the castle as the last of the Death Eaters left, and Harmony shut it all out. She took off, knowing that she was leaving everything behind. She was done. Harry Potter would never be seen in the wizarding world again.

* * *

End of Chapter 34


	35. Chapter 35 the Messenger

**Harmony Lives**  
Chapter 35 The Messenger

**Disclaimer**: I am not JK Rowling. I am also not Joy Lauriers. I am her sister, writing chapter 35 next to her, while she writes chapter 34, so that this story can be finished before the new year and not in three more years. Enjoy.

* * *

He had been looking over at Harmony, still worrying and checking if she had recovered enough when he first saw it; a speck in the sky. Draco knew as he locked his eyes on it that there was something wrong about that dot of black outlined against the sun struck clouds. It approached and Draco heard whispers around him of "what is that?" and "It's not coming here-is it?" of the restless Slytherins around him.

The speck shot through the air fast and by the time that Draco recognized it for a Hebridean Black it was already spitting flames into the crowd. The Slytherins scattered in all directions as the other houses appeared to be just taking in the fact that there was a dragon in the air above them. Draco sprinted towards Harmony, who was also running, cursing as some Hufflepuff third year ran straight into him. That short and untidy black hair stayed just out of his reach and Draco had no idea where she was heading until he heard a shrill voice magnified over the screaming students, over the crackle of fire.

"Harry Potter," cried out the Dark Lord, from atop the back of the dragon. Then it all made sense. Why there was a dragon at Hogwarts and where Harmony was running. He understood and he had to stop her. He had to convince her not to do something that left her hurt again, or worse this time.

It wasn't until Harmony already slipped into the Quidditch supply room that Draco caught up with her. As the door snapped shut behind him, Draco could see that Harmony had already taken out her Firebolt. She pivoted at the sound, and dropped the magic from her face when she saw who had been following her.

Now that he was alone with her, he was stuck. What could he even say to her?

"Draco..." Harmony murmured, as if the word slipped out of her unintended. He looked into her eyes and read the confliction there. That was enough. It was all he needed to see. Three short steps and she was in his arms, and he was holding her against him. At that moment she was the only thing that existed.

"You don't have to do this. We could escape together," Draco whispered. His mind raced to find arguments to back up his claim. The prophecy had already been fulfilled when the Dark Lord had last attacked her, the world was large enough for two people to get lost in it safely, he would take care of her.

Harmony lifted her head from against his chest and looked into his eyes. "Voldemort has killed everyone I care about. I don't have to do this. I want to." She replied. Draco's heart sank as all of his arguments crumbled apart. Unconsciously, Harmony tightened her grip on her Firebolt. He could feel the determination radiating off of her. There was no way that he was going to be able to convince her. Desperation bubbled inside of him. This could be the last time that he ever saw her. He had to do something.

Memories of the two of them flicked through his mind; Harmony in a sleek silver dress smiling up at him, Harmony holding his hand on the way to tea, Harmony launching herself at the Dark Lord, protecting him. He had to say something.

"I love you," was what he said. Draco didn't know who was more surprised at the words, Harmony or himself.

She didn't say anything. Instead, her hands brushed against the back of his neck as she pulled him in. Harmony's lips were on his and this kiss was like none of the others. She kissed him fiercely, again and again, and in-between Draco felt the heat of her breath. He didn't know how long it lasted until it was over and Draco saw Harmony run out with her Firebolt in hand.

He stepped out after her in time to see her leap on her broom, as her figure soared off, until she was nothing more than a speck. Then she was gone.

* * *

The first few weeks of June found a subdued Draco Malfoy. He didn't even have the energy to be hacked off at the Gryffindor prats who acted as if they had won something. Who glared at him as if he was supposed to be sorry that the Dark Lord was dead. As if he cared.

There was no room for caring about that, when another thought consumed him. A thought that lingered with him, eating away at all his other daily moments, leaving him irritable and unfocused. _Where was she?_

There were a lot of ridiculous theories floating around when it was discovered that the boy wonder was missing. Not at first of course. It seemed like everyone but him was too busy celebrating to realize that Harry was even gone. But then he was gone for a week, and then two. It was discovered that Potter's things remained in his room. Even his owl was still in the owlery. Letters to those close to the boy couldn't find anything. It was then that the theories began. Perhaps Lady Voldemort was just a decoy and Potter was off vanquishing the real one. Or maybe Harry had gone off riding on the Dark Lord's dragon and had gotten lost. Or eaten. Someone at the ministry had even commissioned a team to track down that beast to find any clues to the boy's disappearance.

He knew that she wasn't dead. She couldn't be. He glanced down once more at the ring that connected them. It hadn't faded to silver, as it had when Harmony had fallen at the Dark Lord's hands. He knew that she lived. And as the weeks passed, Draco expected every day to see her return. He listened for a cry of triumph throughout the school as a short midget with glasses returned. But it never came.

There was something off about this whole thing. She wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. It wasn't like her.

Draco had seen her just the day before her fight with the Dark Lord on a hospital bed, barely able to move. She was so vulnerable. As the end of the school year approached, Draco knew that he had to find her. He just had to come up with the right plan.

* * *

"Tell me again why you are staying at Hogwarts over the summer?" Blaise asked him.

Draco regarded him lazily and explained in a blasé manner, "The Dark Lord used the manor as his base, and certain magic needs to be cleared from it before my home is safe again." He leaned back against the leather seat and watched as the students dragged luggage out of the common room.

Blaise looked like he wanted to say something to Draco, then thought better of it. "Send me an owl, if you get bored." Blaise said instead. Draco nodded him off, and waited alone, as the last of his housemates made their way to the train.

Then he stood up, and double checked his room. It was empty like all the others, all of his things tucked away into the mokeskin pouch in his pocket. He walked casually, in case there were any other students about, in the direction of the owlery.

Hardly any students remained at Hogwarts, and those who did, avoided him. He faintly recalled being irritable for the past month, perhaps snapping at people. Casting some hexes, blasting people out of his way, that sort of thing. Draco noticed that the few stragglers he encountered stared at him wide eyed, and stepped far to the side of the hallway until he passed on his way to the West Tower.

By the time he arrived at the stone steps of the owlery, he was alone. There were only a handful of owls left, the rest about to board the Hogwarts express along with their owners. Even his eagle owl was gone, not yet returned from the trip to his father, claiming that he would be staying at Hogwarts over the summer. The owls there were an assortment of Hogwarts school owls. Except for the one snowy owl that remained, sulking in the corner. Quietly, he approached her.

"You miss her too, Hedwig." Draco said. Hedwig caught his eye, and he saw the intelligence there and the mistrust. "Do you want to help me find her? You could help me tell her off for abandoning us." Draco continued. The owl regarded him silently, considering and then hooted in reply. "Here," Draco said attaching a short letter to Potter to the owl's leg. "Fly over the clouds, and I'll follow." He instructed. Hedwig hooted what Draco hoped to be an affirmative, and waited for him as he pulled his Nimbus 2001 out of his mokeskin.

"After you." Draco said with a hand that gestured out to the open window. He laughed that he was acting more courteously to Potter's owl than he had to any other living thing since Potter disappeared. But none of that mattered. If no one else knew where Potter was hiding, her owl would know; it was part of their own brand of magic.

The snowy owl swept out of the open window and Draco followed, high into the air and above the clouds. The rush of the wind and the freedom of the open skies lifted his spirits for the first time since his mother's death.

Through the wisps of clouds, Draco could see the outline of the Hogwarts Express as he outstripped the train, following the flight of the owl. As he watched the wide wingspan pump through the air, he wondered why he never paid attention to how fast owls flew before.

Three hours later left him appreciating the endurance of the owls even more. If his attention wavered for even a moment, the white of the owl blurred into the clouds. He would not lose focus. He wouldn't.

Draco panicked when he lost track of the owl. There was nothing in his line of vision except clouds everywhere, and he had no idea where he was. Draco hovered in the air, looking for any sign of motion. A flurry of wings brought her into his focus once again, as Hedwig pulled up close to him, and seemed to examine him with her wide amber eyes. If Hedwig hadn't doubled back, Draco had no idea what he would have done. He vowed to buy a huge sack of owl treats when this was all over.

Just two short hours after that, and Draco noticed that Hedwig was descending. As Draco broke through the cover of clouds, he saw that they were flying over a forest. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of that? Harmony was hiding out in a forest, where no one would think to look for her. Draco pictured her finding a tent somehow, and imagined her on the move, camping from place to place.

Hedwig swooped low and Draco veered after her, the ground rushing up closer and closer. He only jerked out of the dive when he saw that it was not Harmony, but a mouse that Hedwig had in her sights. Hedwig pulled up from her dive with a rodent clenched in her talons, and perched off in a nearby tree to devour it. Draco took the opportunity to land. He lay down on the grass, not even caring that it was dirty. He stared up at the leaves of the tree, which were blurry with the rush of motion as if he was still flying and Draco vowed never to do this again. So this is why wizards typically didn't use owls to find people.

Draco heard talons hit the forest floor at his side and turned to see those wide unblinking eyes focused on him once again. She had eaten that mouse rather quickly. He pulled himself back to his feet, and back on to his broom. "I'm ok." He said, as the owl stared at him. With one powerful thrust of her wings, Hedwig was off the ground and heading back high above the clouds. Draco shook his head at the quick pace of the bird, "I'm not ok." He muttered darkly and charged off after her.

Night had fallen by the next time Hedwig descended. When Draco emerged through the clouds it was over a small muggle town, where each of the little box houses looked exactly the same as each of the others. That didn't seem to confuse the owl though. She headed straight for the second floor window of one of those houses and perched on the windowsill. The owl tapped on the glass impatiently, allowing him time to catch up. And Draco saw a familiar face behind that glass. A familiar face that opened up the window. He was just close enough to hear her exclaim "Hedwig!" Saw her untie the letter from Hedwig's leg, which simply stated_ I found you_, in his precise handwriting.

Harmony really looked out the window then, and spotted him. She regarded him steadily, pushed her window open wider and motioned him on in. Draco pressed himself flat against his broom and flew straight through the window, into Harmony's tiny room. His dismount was shakier than his usually elegant style, and he took a moment to collect himself before turning to face her.

But his calm demeanor left him as he saw her again up close. Tired from his mad flight over here, and tired from the month of missing her, he wasn't his usual self. Draco had considered over the eight hour flight, what he would say when he saw Harmony again. He had come up with many things, all of them quite charming, but couldn't seem to recall a single one.

"You have no idea how worried I was." He told her, quietly.

"You saved me, you know," Harmony replied, "when you gave me this." She pulled out a silver chain from beneath her over-sized muggle shirt, until the dragon pendant was visible. "The dragon had me, but wouldn't finish me off after smelling this." Draco tensed when he wondered what would have happened if she hadn't been wearing it. But still he needed to know more.

"But why didn't you come back?"

"I just couldn't do it. I was burned by a dragon, nearly murdered again, and I couldn't face everyone thanking me for it... I don't want to be famous, I don't want to be the boy who lived. Even if I have to come here and be treated like..." Harmony's voice trailed off when she saw Draco raise an eyebrow. Harmony hastily explained, "my relatives aren't exactly fond of me."

"So what are you going to do about it?" He asked her.

"As far as I'm concerned Harry Potter is dead. I came up with a plan. I'm going to move to London and live my life as a muggle and..." Harmony became distracted from recounting her brilliant plan as Draco stepped close. His fingers caressed her cheek as he stared at her red cupid lips.

"Is that what you really want?" He asked, softly.

"I can't go back as Harry." Harmony whispered.

"Then don't. Snape will let you transfer into Hogwarts as Harmony. He'll make excuses for you. And I'll beat the shite out of Blaise if he says anything." Draco persuaded her, bringing his other hand around her slim waist, and trailing lightly up her back. He saw the longing in her eyes, read the 'yes' that echoed through her mind and smiled at her. He said, "I'm not leaving without you, guess we'll both have to live like muggles then."

"Excellent," Harmony replied, reaching up to place a hand on his chest. "I know plenty of fun things that a couple of muggles like us could do."

"Really?" Draco said wrapping his arms around her, "well I know something muggles like us could do right now." And with that said, he kissed her, tasting the sweetness of her for the first time in a month. He looked down at her curiously, as she pulled away from him.

"There's something I didn't get a chance to tell you, before all of this happened." Harmony said looking up at Draco seriously. "I love you too."

* * *

End of Chapter 35

-Can you tell the difference between the way I write and the way my sister writes?

-It's hard to write two scenes simultaneously, when fighting over dialogue and who gets to say what. (I won, of course.)

-By the way, we were talking about murdering a character for two years. It was Ginny that my sister couldn't kill off. I literally heard her say "It's too much death. No. I can't, I just can't!"

-And everything clicked in place for Blaise when he saw that Harry had almost no reaction to a hex that hit him in the crotch.


	36. Chapter 36 Mending

**Harmony Lives  
**

Chapter 36 Mending

**Disclaimer**: I am not JK Rowling. I am not a wizard or a witch. I do not have a wand. I do not have magical powers. I have never flown on a broom, caught a snitch, or vanquished a dragon. Never had my heart stabbed neither. Not one single time. Truth is, I am a college student, and my only intention in writing this is entertainment. And thank you to those of you out there who have stuck with this story for the past three years, or discovered it somewhere along the way. Thank you for letting me entertain you.

* * *

The Dursleys had not been pleased when she had shown up a month early, announcing that she had no plans to return to school. It wouldn't have mattered to them if she had defeated twenty Dark Wizards. It turns out that the level of tolerance that they could show her for a day, didn't hold for long as the weeks went on. Especially when the Durselys were faced with the prospect that Harmony might remain indefinitely, with no foreseeable way of getting rid of her.

Though obviously, she hadn't planned things through, she didn't think that everything could turn out so wrong. She had brought no money. No way to contact her friends-not that she could anyway. And then there were the burns.

Harmony was left to tend to her burns on her own using homemade muggle remedies. She had been too distracted to notice the blisters at Hogwarts. They had grown steadily more painful on the flight over to the Dursleys as the adrenaline wore off. But by then it was too late. Harmony was terrified of doing magic and being discovered by the trace.

She was too wary of discovery to even try wandless magic on the blisters across her back. Even now, a month later, they ached, and refused to heal properly. Harmony had to endure the slow recovery all while her Uncle Vernon came up with increasingly nastier comments about his opinions of bums and vagrants and school drop outs, and while Aunt Petunia seemed to come up with new and harder chores for her to do each day.

But even that wasn't enough. Next came the decision that Harmony should be shut away inside, so that the neighbors wouldn't make the connection between the girl in the house and the boy from years before. She became trapped before she even realized what was happening.

* * *

He had been on her mind, more than she had cared to admit, and now he was here. In order to escape, quietly, she had to get Draco Malfoy out of here fast, before the muggles found him, or before he found the muggles. Neither of them felt particularly motivated to get going. At least not at first. The longer his lips were on hers, the more Harmony remembered how much she liked them there. His hands ran through her hair, as they kissed, trailing lightly down. When he held her tightly, pressing against her back, she couldn't hide a small hiss of pain.

After seeing his look of confusion, Harmony just twisted out of his grasp and turned away from him, knowing that there was no point trying to hide it. She pulled up the back of her shirt, revealing the damage that was still there. "I wasn't kidding when I said that the dragon almost got me." She explained lightly.

Draco didn't say a word, just pulled out his wand.

"Don't." Harmony warned, pulling her shirt back down. "The trace on me will have the whole ministry in here."

"... people die from untreated dragon burns." Draco ground out, slowly.

"Later, let's get out of here first." Harmony said, dropping to her knees to pry out the loose floorboard, pulling out the two wands, the firebolt and her cloak.

It wasn't until after she had packed her things away into Draco's mokeskin bag that Harmony began to feel nervous. She had to stop herself from laughing out loud; she had faced dementers, basilisks and dragons, she had escaped from and vanquished the darkest wizard in modern times, it was funny that she should be afraid of a trio of muggles.

She unbent a paperclip, poking it through the keyhole on the door, turning it patiently until she heard the lock click.

"Just be as quiet as you can." Harmony muttered to Draco as she opened her bedroom door, and slipped through. She reached back behind her and grasped his hand, as she started down the dark stairwell on her own, knowing exactly where to avoid each creak. She nearly made it, with her free hand nearing the front door-freedom within her grasp, when a large thump came from the kitchens. The two of them turned, to see a massive figure outlined by the light of the refrigerator.

"Is... is that an ogre?" Draco whispered. The light clicked on, and they were temporarily blinded, before being able to see the purpling face of her Uncle Vernon.

"And where do you think you're going?" Uncle Vernon began, holding a king sized jar of pickles menacingly in his meaty hands. He stopped narrowing his eyes on Draco, taking in those robes that marked him as... one of _them_. "YOU -" he shook the bobbing pickles, "YOU BROUGHT ONE OF YOUR LOT HERE?"

The initial shock wore off and Harmony cringed as she heard more noise upstairs as Vernon Dursley's yelling woke the house. Harmony hurriedly unlocked the first of a new set of bolts on the front door, as her uncle bellowed out, "PETUNIA, SHE'S GETTING AWAY!"

Harmony felt a quick tug on her shoulder push her away from the door, and where her head had been last, a jar shattered.

Draco had seen enough.

He walked over to the muggle, wand in hand, and jabbed the point of it into the fat rolls of the man's neck.

"You're," Uncle Vernon sputtered out, "you're not allowed to do magic out of that, that school of yours."

"Well that rather depends on who you know," Draco said coldly. "Besides, it's not really a difficult matter to stage the death of a couple of muggles."

A gasp could be heard as Petunia stuck her long face over the banister. "Don't Vernon!" she called out.

"You're lying." the purple left him, replaced with a sheen of waxy white.

"I couldn't tell you how many people like you my father has killed." Draco countered. "And he did it for fun."

Harmony knew that she should probably stop this, and turned to finish unlocking the bolts. "I'm leaving now." She said, opening the door, and listened as shards of glass slipped off.

Draco followed, just pausing to mention, "Oh and we were never here. If I hear one word otherwise, you'll soon find that you haven't yet encountered the wrong sort of wizard."

The two of them didn't speak until they were a few blocks away and signaled for the Knight Bus.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked her.

"I'm feeling great actually. That ended a lot better than I thought it would." She replied.

"I can't believe that you were held prisoner by a couple of muggles. Next time, get captured by a Lethifold and a pack of werewolves, you'd probably stand more of a chance against them." Draco laughed.

They boarded the Knightbus, heading straight to the empty third deck. Harmony took a seat on one of the beds, and Draco slid in behind her, and immediately began lifting up her shirt.

"What are you doing?" Harmony asked, feeling as heat tinged her.

"Don't worry about the trace here. The bus's magic distorts it."

"Oh, right," Harmony replied as he whispered spells that immediately smoothed out her skin, removing the pain.

* * *

Harmony had been worried about how she was going to access her gold, until Draco explained how the goblins operated. They had an innate sense for who the gold belonged to, even being able to see through magical transformations like polyjuice potions and the like. Which was why the wizarding world trusted them as caretakers of their money.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to try taking some galleons out of my vault?" Draco asked her for the third time. And Harmony just shook her head, no, without an explanation, just walking straight into the bank.

Twenty minutes later as they were standing in front of Harmony's vault at Gringotts, Draco looked at the fat pyramids of Galleons with his mouth literally hanging open.

"Harmony, you know that you're rich, right?" He mentioned to her.

"I got enough money, I guess."

"Yea. There's more money here than in my father's vault."

"Oh." Harmony replied. But it wasn't until she exchanged some of the galleons for muggle money that she understood for the first time in her life how much money she really had. The weight of the money bag felt heavier than it had before, weighing down her pockets, begging to be spent.

"So where should we go now, back to Hogwarts?" Draco asked.

"Nah, let's go on vacation." Harmony smiled. If she knew anything, she knew that she desperately needed a break from getting stabbed or burned or imprisoned.

"Cool, where should we go?"

Harmony paused, considering. She was young, and rich, and she could do magic. And now there was nothing stopping her. "Everywhere," she answered.

* * *

Harmony sat next to Draco on the Hogwarts express in their own compartment, leaning her head against him. Her hair came down in waves to her shoulder, and her tanned hand held his. "Excited for your first day at Hogwarts?" he joked. She smiled back at him.

It had been easier than she thought to get everything sorted out for her to go back to school, just a letter here and there. She was registered as Harmony Black and allowed to go into their sixth year.

The peace was momentarily broken when the compartment door thrust open, and Ginny burst in, hugging Harmony. She pulled away to get a good look at her and gave a half smile. "Maybe I shouldn't have spent half my summer worried about you. Look at you!"

Ginny scanned Harmony's new look critically, targeting one new addition. She grabbed the girl's hand and turned it, looking at the ink design that started just at her forearm, and curved its way up to her shoulder. "Oh no, you didn't."

Ginny looked over at Draco's arm as well, pulling up his sleeve to see the design mirrored there. "Oh wow," she shook her head, "You guys got matching tattoos? Of Dragons? Why? Where?" Ginny demanded.

Harmony glanced down at Draco's tattoo, tracing her finger down the image of the Hebridean Black, watching it move under her touch. "Brazil," Harmony replied, "and why not?"

"You went to Brazil? What else did you do?"

"Traveled a bit, saw some cool stuff." Harmony said.

Draco picked up where she left off, "we went to Maui, to Salzburg and Budapest, spent a week in Brazil, we flew through the Grand Canyon, swam in the Great Barrier Reef, walked on the Great Wall, toured a couple major cities and national parks. That kind of thing."

"I hate you guys," Ginny said with a smile.

"We got you gifts."

"OK maybe I don't hate you two that much."

* * *

When Harmony stood in line with the other first years to be sorted, she was a little unnerved. Even though she looked nothing like Harry Potter, she felt like someone may point at her and say, 'Potter has returned' and everyone would cheer.

"This year we have a transfer student to be sorted first." McGonagall announced, "Harmony Black." Harmony took in a heavy breath and stepped up, aware that some people were chattering while she was walking forward. But it wasn't like the time when she was Harry Potter. No one held their breath, or expected anything from her. McGonagall placed the sorting hat on her head when she sat.

_Oh it's you again. _Harmony heard the hat say to her._ I suppose that you'll want to be put in your old house then?_

'Not Gryffindor, Not Gryffindor, Not Gryffindor.' Harmony thought.

_But you have been doing so well in Gryffindor! All of your friends are there, and you so bravely defeated the Darkest Wizard of the modern era. And your animagus form is an African cat, it's a lovely fit._

'Not Gryffindor, Not Gryffindor, Not Gryffindor.' Harmony repeated.

_Or not? Like I mentioned before, you could do well in Slytherin. You have a fair amount of cunning, I suppose. You would gain power and influence there. But you do realize that you are very brave right? My brave students tend to go to..._

…..NOT GRYF-

_Alright no need to shout. I know where you will do best. It was lovely talking to you again, a much more interesting mind than all of those eleven year olds..._

"SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat called out.

Harmony took off the sorting hat, and handed it to a stunned McGonagall. The elder woman quickly regained her composure and whispered sternly to Harmony, "you better not become the new Slytherin seeker." Harmony stifled a laugh and walked over to the Slytherin table where Draco stared at her, shocked, before pushing Blaise aside to make room for her.

"So how did you manage that?" Blaise asked amused.

"All Blacks are Slytherins, my father was the only exception." Harmony replied and Blaise rolled his eyes.

Draco took her hand, and whispered into her ear, "you sure this is what you want?"

Harmony met his eyes and smiled. "Yes," she said simply.

* * *

The End

~o~


	37. Chapter 37 More

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 37 - More

Some deleted scenes and extras for every one's enjoyment: That my sister and I wrote for fun.

**Disclaimer**: You know who wrote _Harry Potter_.

* * *

**Blaise:**

Blaise sat at the Slytherin table and sipped his pumpkin juice, eyeing Draco who had one of those glints in his eyes. Like something brilliant was about to happen, well, terrible for others in most cases. He was about to ask what was up, when something caught his eye. Harry Potter was coming their way, and looking very much like a girl. Wasn't Potter at the Gryffindor table? He looked over and saw the boy wonder get up from where he was sitting. Blaise's jaw went slack. Two Potters?

Had he miscalculated? No that wasn't possible. He scrutinized them. When both Potters hugged, he saw that male Potter was an inch taller. He looked at the boy's feet and saw the two inch heeled boots, and then went to Harmony's flats. When Harmony took off her coat, she wore a clinging shirt. Potter, on the other hand, was obviously wearing a bunch of layers. At least five, he estimated. Their voices were remarkably similar, Harmony's just a tad softer. But there was no hiding those same eyes and hair.

_But which one is the real one? Oh the girl, she's all over Draco. And the impostor? Couldn't be Granger or Ginger. Lovegood can't act. _He looked over to the Gryffindor table and counted the red heads, noting that the youngest was missing. He smirked.

Blaise watched as the fake Harry hugged Harmony tight, glaring at Draco, over her shoulder. Quite a nice touch. But would the others fall for it? Pansy and Nott look like they want to kill Harry, but Nott had no reaction to the girl. Everyone at the Gryffindor table was watching, as well as half of the Ravenclaws. And look at that. There were a handful of Hufflepuffs eyeballing their hug, this gossip was going to be around the whole school by dinner. Everyone was completely buying- Er what?

"Sounds great." Blaise said, amused that Potter had invited him to go see the school.

_Obviously if they are inviting me to go with them, they are trying to trick me. _He thought_. Oh this relationship drama is so much more fun than school. It's absolutely ridiculous, Potter-who apart from Crabbe and Goyle is the least attractive boy in our entire year, what with those ridiculous glasses and the fact that he stands only at the height of a third year-makes the hottest girl in the school. She has got to be a solid ten, with that perfect figure, gorgeous face, and bright green eyes. She's a powerful witch too, evaded a dragon and the Dark Lord. And she's not a bitch. It sucks. All the Slytherin girls are either already dating someone or they are complete bitches._

_Maybe Draco's on to something._

At this point, the house elves were scrambling to get drinks for the students who had broken into the Hogwarts kitchens. Blaise was glad to get his hands on a butterbeer because now it was time for him to do some serious thinking.

_Alright, who are the hottest girls in the school. _  
_Potter is the hottest dark haired girl-if I didn't want to get murdered by Draco, she'd be an excellent girlfriend. Cho Chang could work, but she is too much of a sob case._  
_Lovegood is the hottest blonde in the school, shame that she's crazy. _  
_And the hottest red head in the school is... Potter's other friend. _  
_...More of a reason to spend time with Draco. That would bring the pretty red-head my way when she wants to hang out with Harmony._

Blaise spent the rest of the walk, watching as Ginny disguised as Harry led them to secret passageways that he had never seen before around the school. He tried to figure out her character and see what she was really like based on the way that she was acting when she was pretending to be Harry.

_She's loyal to her friends obviously. And intelligent. It's not every girl who could pretend to be the most scrutinized boy in the school and pull it off. She's not afraid to break a rule here and there as well. What else?_

There was something about the girl, that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He waited until Draco and Harmony left down one of the passageways to drop his act. He didn't even care if the pair of them could still hear him or not.

"So which one of Potter's friends are you really?" He asked.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Ginny, disguised as Harry stated, and walked away.

Her reaction was perfect. She was a great actor. But there was more than that. There was a fire to her words, a confidence that Blaise found absolutely intriguing. He followed her.

"Hey I didn't mean to upset you." Blaise said, catching up, "your plan worked, I think Harmony's secret is safe from the whole school now. You make a good Harry."

Green eyes regarded him, annoyed behind the round glasses. "Whatever you say Zabini."

"But you look much better as a red-head." He continued quietly. Pleased to see that he had finally coaxed some sort of reaction out of her. "I don't know why you are wasting your time with that Corner fellow, you could do much better than him."

Fake-Harry looked over at Blaise, surprise etched over her face. However she covered it up by giving him the finger. Leaving him to wonder whether she hated him or was still playing the part of Potter. She started heading to the Gryffindor common rooms, out of his reach.

Blaise smiled. He finally had a worthy cause to focus his attention on.

* * *

**Ginny:**

The Death Eater that Ginny, Luna and Neville were dueling against suddenly ripped down his sleeve right in the middle of a hex, gawking at his forearm. The man bolted and mid-stride he disintegrated into black smoke that shot out of an open window. With their opponent gone, the three of them watched as one by one, Death Eaters across the room began retreating. "Is it over?" Neville asked with his wand still out.

"I think so, Harry must have won," Luna said. Ginny could see as behind them her brothers started up a cheer that spread throughout the hall, yelling,_ Potter! Potter! _

With the Death Eaters gone, the three of them ran to the entrance where Ginny had seen Harmony last. Instead she saw Micheal Corner, someone who she perhaps should have been thinking of-but wasn't.

"Thank Merlin you're alright," Micheal said, reaching for her.

"Michael, now's not the time, I need to go." Ginny snapped at him.

"Why do you need to find Potter anyway?" Micheal asked, guessing where she was going as he looked down at his girlfriend.

"Because he's my friend." He got her arm before she could turn and run off, holding her firmly.

"I saw you holding hands with him at the funeral. What is it Ginny? Don't even try to pretend that there isn't something going on here," he demanded.

"Michael, you are right. I do care more about Harry than I do about you." Ginny twisted her arm free, but not before she read the angry and disbelief clear in his face. She knew that she had hurt him, but she needed to know that Harmony was okay.

Ginny ran to the Dark Forest, passing the body of Mad Eye, centaurs, and other people that she didn't have time to identify. She couldn't think about death right now.

Once under the cover of the forest, a hawk flew over the trees following the ravaging fire that went straight into the mountains. She hoped beyond anything that Harmony wasn't lying somewhere in the dirt, charred black. When the trail of scorched trees ended, Ginny saw with her hawk eyes Lady Voldemort's corpse. She scanned the area, circling around, catching the glint of familiar round glasses.

_No_. Ginny thought, turning back to the castle.

The windows of the Gryfindor tower were shattered in the fight, and Ginny flew around it twice before locating Harmony's room. She perched on the windowsill, silently taking in the sight of all of her things still there.

_I don't believe it_, she thought.

...

"Draco," Ginny said, stopping him on his way to potions class. "I need to talk to you."

He paused, casually looking through his bag, for a quill, until a few Slytherin stragglers passed them making their way to class. When the hallways were empty, he gave her an irritated look. "We've been through this before," Draco stated curtly, "I don't know where she is." He left her abruptly, walking away to class.

Ginny didn't have the energy to be angry anymore. She leaned against the stone halls, not knowing what she was going to do. If she hadn't had six older brothers to toughen her up, she would have been crying right then.

"Ginny, are you alright?" She looked over at the tall form of Blaise Zabini as he leaned against the stone halls next to her.

"What do you want?" Ginny asked, still testy from Draco.

"Don't worry about Harmony, I'm pretty sure that she is alive." Blaise stated, as if it was a fact.

"How do you know?" she asked, knowing that he may be the only one to have figured it out.

"Come take a walk with me, and I'll tell you." Blaise said, steering away from the potions class, not looking back to see whether she was coming. He strolled into the nearest unused classroom, and Ginny followed, watching him as he sat at the front desk.

"Alright, tell me," Ginny said.

"For one, I know Draco well enough to tell that he's not mourning anyone right now. He's angry that he can't get what he wants, but we would be seeing a very different Draco if, well, if he thought that his girlfriend was dead."

"Go on." Ginny said, unimpressed.

"Secondly, you and I both know that when Potter's things were found, they weren't all found, or everyone would have heard about the fact that Harry kept women's knickers and dresses."

Ginny mulled this over, considering the fact that it was Ron who had charged into Harry's room, before anyone would have had time to hide certain things. She knew how squeamish her brother was around undergarments. If he had found anything he certainly would have caused a scene.

She relaxed, closing her eyes, and unclenching her hand. It was possible. Harmony could be alive. But was she OK? Ginny opened her eyes to see that Blaise had gotten off the desk and was watching her.

"That doesn't tell me whether Harmony's alright." Ginny said, wanting to know more.

"Well, then you can just look at the reactions of people. Take Snape for example. Have you ever noticed that when things went wrong for Harry, Snape tried to protect him." Blaise grinned as he leaned forward, watching Ginny closely.

"What? What are you talking about, Snape hated Harry." Ginny said.

"First year, when someone jinxed Harry's broom, Snape was the only professor attempting a counter jinx. And Snape officiated the next match. Third year, back when everyone thought Sirius Black wanted to kill Harry, Snape was never around, and you could always find him patrolling near the Gryffindor tower. Last year-"

"I know that you're right, he was giving her extra lessons. But what's Snape up to now?"

"Nothing. He knows she's safe. Otherwise he'd be off hunting for her like Hagrid and Madame Hooch. That's why McGonagall is so calm about it too, he must have told her. Anyway, I think that Harry Potter won't be seen again, but Harmony will probably be back again next year."

"You've convinced me," Ginny smiled, "but why are you telling me this in the first place?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Blaise murmured.

"Yes it is," Ginny laughed, "but I still want to hear you say it."

"I want you." Blaise stepped forward, till she was nearly in his reach.

"Prove it." Ginny teased.

Blaise didn't need any more encouragement. He leaned down to kiss her, and Ginny felt as his hands wrapped around her waist, liking the way his lips moved against hers.

* * *

**The Prophet (also known as The Scrap of Rubbish):**

_Harry Potter: The Boy Who Disappeared_

_The mystery of what happened to our beloved hero remains unsolved. Is Harry Potter alive? Did the dragon devour him in the final moments? Is he out there, wounded and tear stricken in hopes to be found, but unable to? Despite the fact that Harry's broken glasses and burned robes were discovered next to You Know Who's corpse, many out there still have hope. There is much speculation on what could have happened. Harry's best friend, Ron Weasley, remarks in tears, 'he can't be dead, he'll come back for us, like he always does.' Ron pauses, in clear and loyal friendship, as he puts a hand over his heart, 'He knows where home is'. Touching is beyond words as people celebrating the fall of the Dark Lord yearn for their hero. Harry Potter, where ever you are, our eyes will always search for you._

_By Rita Seeker_

* * *

**Remus discovers Harry:**

12 Grimmauld place had not changed drastically since the Order of the Phoenix had left it as a hideout. Harmony and Draco's vacation had just started, and they were visiting the Black house to sort out some paper work.

...

Remus Lupin woke with a pounding in his head, much like a killer hangover. He groaned. It must have been a rough night, considering the state of the room. Curtains were shredded, furniture dismantled, but at least there were no dead bodies of animals. Remus rearranged his clothes, finding a new assortment of tears that would need mending. He stopped when he heard something across the hall, and he knew it wasn't Kreacher's usual shuffling. He unlocked the door and stared as if a ghost had passed.

A small figure with black unruly hair had closed the door and Remus had to hold his head. No it couldn't be. They had all been searching for Harry Potter for over a month. Trying to find any clue on Harry's whereabouts, even going so far as chasing the Hebridean Black. But was it Harry? He took a few staggering steps, almost desperate. He made it to the door, and with one last lingering doubt, he pushed it open.

His eyes fell on Draco Malfoy and the same figure kissing. Malfoy had his hands going through the black messy hair, and still Remus couldn't see the other's face. "Harry?" he asked, shocked.

...

"Harry?"

Harmony's eyes widened as she pulled away from Draco, and turned to see Lupin looking worse than usual. "No," the man said slowly watching her strangely, "who are you?"

"Harmony Black," she said, "what are you doing here?"

"A Black?" he narrowed his eyes in thought, "who were your parents?" Harmony caught Draco's eye for a second and frowned.

"Juliet Maystone," she made up, "and Sirius Black."

"Strange," Remus said, "Sirius never had a daughter."

"He never knew about me since he was in Azkaban."

"Strange too that you don't look anything like him, and yet, look just like another witch I once knew. Lily Evans."

"Yes, strange," Harmony forced a laugh and Draco watched amused, "though I never heard of her."

"You look like Harry as well," Remus took a few steps closer and squinted in the dark. "Sorry, it's just that I have been searching for him for awhile now..."

"Alright Remus, I know where Harry is, but he doesn't want to be found." Remus snapped his head up, looking in to the face of Harry Potter, and then she changed back. "You don't have to continue looking for me anymore."

"Harry!" Remus's eyes darted to Draco in confusion, "what are you doing?"

* * *

**The Tube:**

Draco had once thought that Muggle Studies was beneath him, that nothing worth while could actually amount from those primitives. Five days in to their vacation, and still nothing impressed him. Airplanes looked dangerous and slow, the metro was a nightmare, and the muggles were ignorant and hostile brutes.

Draco placed his bag down in their five star hotel room, regarding all of the muggle contraptions warily. His eyes drifted to a large black box thing against the wall, at the foot of the bed. "Hey Harmony, what's that?" he asked as he pointed to the box.

"A telly," she supplied, "it's a main source of- er- muggle entertainment." He frowned as he scrutinized the blank screen, and couldn't imagine how it was a source of entertainment. He heard a click, and the screen lit up, shocking him as an image of a car chase and things exploding played before him. He watched as a huge man ripped open a car door, carrying a woman in his arms and some kind of long shiny thing across his back.

"What rubbish is this?" he asked and he heard another click. A new image took its place of women talking excitedly.

"Nothing important, I'm going to take a shower now," Harmony passed him what she called the remote before leaving. Each random button he pushed, the screen changed. Draco was bored as he did this, only watching because he couldn't understand why someone in their right mind would call this utter tedium as entertainment. No wonder muggles were such a bulging, half-witted and lazy subspecies.

When Harmony returned to the room, Draco hadn't realized that she sat next to him or that he was glued to the screen. His eyes widened as the show went on and after a few moments he noticed that the laughter wasn't coming from the telly. "What's so funny?" he asked, not even turning to her.

"It's-" Harmony said between laughs, "just that you look like a kid discovering candy for the first time. Who would have guessed that you would like the telly."

"No," Draco said, quickly looking away, "I'm just..." Draco paused, wondering what he was doing.

"Just observing how idiotic and absurd muggles are."

"Naturally," Draco said and returned to the tube with renewed resolve.

* * *

**Typical Day in Harmony's sixth year:**

Harmony held hands with Draco as they walked to their first class that morning. She should have been more excited considering that it _was _Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Harmony had her misgivings. She took a seat next to Draco, trying hard not to remind herself how different the room looked. Replacing all of the axes, spears, maces, lances, and other weapons were gruesome portrayals of victims of the Dark Arts. One in particular, a rendition of some kind of sparkling vampire and buff werewolf massacre, was placed on some kind of hideous altar. The red and blue padding had been stripped clear from the floor, and desks were neatly returned.

Harmony almost cringed as the curtains billowed shut, revealing Snape, as he came from his new office. He regarded them slowly, as if they were a jaw of cockroaches that needed shaking to make sure that they still lived. Harmony gulped and looked at Draco who seemed to be elated.

"Today's class," Snape began in a drawl, "we will review nonverbal and wandless spell work." Harmony was at least grateful that he didn't fling axes at their faces, though his eyes were probably doing that for him. Leighton had made sure that they knew the basics of nonverbal magic, so when class began, Snape frowned as most of the students had at least some inkling on nonverbal magic. He scanned the heads, looking for something in particular, and stopped when he met Harmony's eyes. "Even more difficult than nonverbal magic is wandless magic. And more still, combining the two takes years of rigorous training and a very skilled wizard. Black and Weasley why don't the two of you demonstrate for the class on both forms of magic."

Harmony stood up and looked at Ron, feeling the gap between them as the red headed boy scowled at her. She wondered why Snape was doing this, pairing her with him. They stood in front of the class with wands out, and Harmony wondered how she was going to do this painlessly for the both of them. It was strange seeing him giving her a look that he reserved for those he deemed as slimy gits.

"Begin," Snape said, with nothing more to direct them. Ron waved his wand ferociously, and it was an easy matter to put up a shield. She waited for the magic to hit her shield, but nothing came from Ron's end. She could see how pleased Snape looked as the man lifted an eyebrow. "I said begin." Ron waved his wand once more to no avail. "If you must say the spell, than whisper it to yourself." There were a few snickers in the class while Ron did so, turning red. Harmony put up her shield once more, nonverbally. His spell was sent back, powerfully enough to break through his defenses, knocking him down and Ron fell on his bottom.

"Very good," Snape said, "Weasley, return to your seat. Would anyone else like to try?"

Hermione's hand flashed up, and Snape called on her. When the other girl faced her, Harmony felt even more awkward. She only hoped that Hermione wasn't doing it because she embarrassed her precious Ron. When Snape nodded for them to begin, Hermione waved her wand and a binding spell was sent her way. Harmony deflected it, and the spell ricocheted to the floor.

"You're pretty good," Hermione said and she waved her wand back and forth. Still with each spell, Harmony's shield held. They expected her to retaliate, but Harmony just kept her magic up, watching as Hermione grew tired.

"Now without your wands," Snape said. They put their wands in their pockets and faced each other.

Hermione's brown eyes flashed in concentration. "_Incendio_," she said. A gust of fire materialized and Harmony put up a hand, wordlessly, and the fire puffed out in smoke. Hermione watched the girl in disbelief, and Harmony shrugged her shoulders.

"Alright, would anyone else like a turn against Black?" Snape asked from where he sat at his desk. Pansy stuck her hand in the air, and tossed her hair back. "Parkinson."

Pansy strode to the front of the class with a smirk. Harmony could see the wand point sticking from the girl's sleeve. Pansy said, "_Furnunculus_," and a jet of gray shot towards her. Harmony slashed the air with her hand and the curse circled back, slapping Pansy in the face. The girl put a hand to her cheek in shock as boils began to erupt over her features and down her neck.

"Hospital wing," Snape said, pointing to the exit, and Bulstorde walked down with Pansy, shooting Harmony a sneer. "Anyone else?" Snape asked and no one answered, "how about you, Malfoy?"

"Sure," Draco said and got up. Blaise raised his head from his hand, and gave Draco the thumbs up before smirking. The message was clear, try not to make a fool out of yourself, and Draco put his wand away before grinning back at Harmony. "You ready?" he asked.

"Yes," she laughed and shot a spell at him. The class was soon to find out that Draco was able to hold his own, by successfully blocking spells wandlessly, and that they fought like they meant it. The other students tried not to imagine what their real fights were like, and watched as Harmony and Draco laughed, enjoying their game.

"Alright, well done," Snape said, "50 points to Slytherin." Harmony stopped in mid strike, realizing that it was the first time Snape had ever rewarded points to her before. Maybe her mum was right, Snape wasn't so bad after all.

...

Ginny sidled up to Harmony, hooking her arm through Harmony's one free arm, causing Draco to scowl. "Hey Harmony," Ginny said, as if Draco wasn't there, "did you hear about the Hogsmeade trip?"

"She's not going with you, you already took her once today during breakfast to do your nails. Absolutely not." Draco cut in.

"That's not fair, she's my friend too! I have important gossip to go over with her, you can't take her for the whole trip."

"We'll meet up with you later in the day." Draco offered.

"Last time you said that, you guys forgot. No, I'm sticking around," Ginny said. She cut off Draco's next retort, saying, "if you don't like it, invite one of your friends."

That evening, Draco and Blaise wandered through Gladrag's Wizardwear, bored, as Ginny and Harmony tried on clothes. "That girl needs to get herself a boyfiend," Draco commented as Ginny found yet another outfit that Harmony had to try on, before they could leave the store. Blaise shrugged in reply, looking through an assortment of cashmere scarves.

When they had finally walked out of the store, as Draco held the bag of Harmony's purchases, he decided that he had spent just about enough time doing what everyone else wanted to do.  
"Let's go get tea." Draco ordered, and the group headed towards Madame Puddifoot's Tea Shop, where Draco made sure that he got a seat next to Harmony.

There was nothing nicer than sipping a well made cup of Earl Grey tea, with a beautiful girl at your side. Draco relaxed, wrapping an arm around Harmony. He had her full attention now, and he wondered how Ginny would react to being left with no one to talk to but a Slytherin like Blaise.

Blaise glanced at Ginny, tilting his head inquiringly, and Ginny grabbed his robe and pulled him towards her. Draco stared as the two began to kiss. He looked over at Harmony and asked, "did you know about this?" Harmony had to shake her head no, as she was temporarily unable to speak.

Draco shrugged realizing that all this meant was less time for Blaise's talking and Ginny's interfering, shooting two birds with one spell. He sipped his tea content.

* * *

**Leighton's girlfriend:**

Harmony and Draco were hanging out in a muggle mall, still trying to decide whether they wanted frozen yogurt or ice cream. It was quite pleasant at the mall. They were surrounded by hordes of people who didn't know them, and who they would likely never see again. She was quite pleased by the way Draco had dressed up. Once he had made up his mind to dress up as a muggle, he had not only turned into a convincing muggle, but a stylish one as well. Complete with designer jeans, Timberlands, and a fitting black shirt.

She found it odd that Draco had changed direction. Now they were heading away from the frozen yogurt, but that's what they had decided on, right? She looked around behind them and saw a familiar wizard just a few feet away. Their stood the newly elected Minister of Magic.

"Leighton!" Harmony exclaimed. Leighton's honey eyes recognized hers and waved her over. Draco followed reluctantly. That's when they noticed that Leighton was not alone.

"Harmony, what are you doing here? And what have you done to poor Frisker?" Leighton laughed as Draco scowled. But Harmony was eyeing the tall woman by his side. "Oh I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Candice." Leighton introduced them, and Candice waved. She was seriously pretty. Too-perfect pretty. Bordering on veela looks. But Harmony was taking in the flame red hair of the woman, trying to find as many features that looked different from another red head that Harmony knew-and found few. She silently vowed never to tell Ginny about this.

"Candice is a...model." Leighton explained.

"A model?" Draco asked.

"Er. She's a muggle. The kind of muggle who wears expensive clothing to convince other muggles to buy the same clothes. It's quite complicated I know. I met her on the way to a candy shop, where I saved her from a car that suddenly veered onto the sidewalk, nearly trampling her." Harmony smiled and decided not to think about why a car would suddenly lose control at such a convenient time.

"Well it was nice seeing you again Leighton." Harmony laughed, and Leighton winked at her, as he and Candice walked into a little store called Honey Bee Bakery together.

* * *

**Ginny's birthday party:**

Harmony ignored Ron's glares, as she attempted to enjoy Ginny's birthday party. Inside she was all smiles; it was rather fun to torment people with minimal effort, no wonder the Slytherins did it.

Finally Ron could take it no more, "What are you doing here?" Faces around the table looked shocked and uncomfortable at the outburst, Hermione in particular looked mortified. And Ron was just too far away to comfortably kick under the table.

Harmony feigned surprise. In a sweet voice she said, "Oh, I thought you knew, your sister invited me."

"Yeah, but you are dating a Malfoy! You are consorting with the enemy! What do you even see in the guy?" Ron fumed.

Harmony placed down her tea cup and smiled a small smile. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked.

Ron looked confused. Clearly he was expecting a different reaction. Or perhaps he had simply hurt his mind trying to come up with a reason why someone would want to date a Malfoy. "No. It isn't." Ron retorted.

"Well," Harmony began, giving Ron her full attention now, "he's hot."

Ron began to sputter in reply, as he visibly tried to stop his face from grimacing in disgust. People around the table all found interesting things to stare at; their hands, teacups, a distant tree. Hermione was looking away and had her head in her hand.

"That kind of stuff doesn't matter! You don't know him, Malfoy's are bad, they are just evil..." Ron tried to explain earnestly. He was clearly concerned about her well being. It was almost touching.

"No." Harmony argued, "it does matter. Clearly you have never seen Draco without a shirt on. He's hot as hell."

"And who wants birthday cake!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed enthusiastically, distracting everyone and shooting Harmony a dirty look.

* * *

**End of Harmony's 7th year:**

"Harmony... what is that?" Ginny asked her friend, shocked.

"This, this is just an old charms essay." Harmony explained. Ginny reached over and pulled her hand straight. Staring at the ring there.

"And what kind of ring is that?"

"Oh that," Harmony stated, regarding it as if for the first time. "Diamond I guess."

"Harmony, did Draco propose to you?"

"Yup."

"And you said, yes?"

"Yup."

"And you're planning on marrying him? Like having a wedding and everything?"

"Nope." Ginny stared at Harmony with fierce eyes until she admitted, "we're eloping."

"Why," Ginny demanded, but shook her head, knowing that they were doing it in spite of Malfoy Senior, "when."

"Tonight. Right after graduation. I'm already packed."

"Where?" Ginny asked.

"Vegas, of course. Where else?" Harmony said.

Ginny locked eyes on Harmony considering her. "So you're sure about this." Ginny stated. And Harmony replied with a shy smile, revealing some of the elation she had felt since that morning. "Send me a postcard?" Ginny concluded.

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

**Draco and Harmony's First Fight:**

The advantage of having a relationship with someone who could practically read your thoughts was that the two of them rarely fought. And when they did it was only about the essentials. Their first real fight happened many years later, in 2011, walking out of the movies.

"Draco, you don't understand, Bella and Edward found true love." Harmony said.

"Bella is the most idiotic muggle in existence. She married a bloody corpse, when she could have hooked up with Jacob; a powerful animagus wizard descended from the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black."

"Draco, you just don't understand the power of love, duh."

"You just think that Cedric, Er. I mean Edward's hot."

* * *

**Everything else:**

*You can use your own imagination to fill in the blanks ;)

Unless you still want more, then check my profile for fun stuff.

Happy New Year!


	38. Chapter 38 More More

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 38 More More

**Disclaimo**- I'm not JK Rowling. I didn't mean to write this. I guess I'm just addicted.

* * *

**Christmas with the Weasleys:**

**Tea with Hermione:**

This winter holiday break would be the first time since June that Harmony was apart from Draco. Harmony told herself that she wasn't one of those girly girls. She knew that she didn't need a man around all the time. So when the invitation to spend the winter with the Weasleys came, Harmony took it without a second thought. Draco could have uninterrupted time with his father, she could have uninterrupted time with Ginny, and everyone would be happy.

But Harmony found that she had six months of habits ingrained into her. She was embarrassed to find that she started to miss certain things, only after a day. Not having anyone to hold, or kiss, or flirt with, was strange. Even worse, Harmony had plenty of opportunities to antagonize Ron Weasley, and she had no one to share in the fun. Where could a girl get an audience, or better yet, a Slytherin audience, when she needed it?

It was the day after Christmas, and Harmony sauntered down the stairs looking for Ginny. Harmony peered innocently into the kitchen, to see if Ron, or the Really Obnoxious Nuisance, as she started to think of him, was up and about yet. Harmony paused in her train of thinking, and frowned at how vindictive she sounded in her own mind. No. It wasn't as if she hated her former friends now. She didn't even dislike Ron. But if he decided to continue to be a prick about who she wanted to date, then she wasn't going to back down.

When Harmony saw bushy brown hair, she felt safe to walk into the kitchen. Harmony took a seat at the square table, directly across from Hermione. She tried to look away and pretend not to see that her former best friend was wiping tears away from her eyes. As Harmony noticed that a new, silent trickle started right where the last drops left, she couldn't keep silent anymore.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Harmony asked softly.

She looked up surprised, before brushing the tears away angrily. "I'm fine." Hermione said haughtily, leaning back and crossing her arms. Harmony took one look at the pale face and red rimmed eyes, the creases in-between the other girl's eyebrows-all those little signs that she knew so well.

"No. You're not. What's wrong Hermione?"

Hermione glared at her suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"

Harmony sighed, suddenly regretting the distance that she had allowed to grow between them. She almost felt the impulsive urge to just tell her the truth. But no-it was too late for that. "I just want you to feel better, here-just let me make you a cup of tea." Harmony stood up getting away from the table. She summoned the tea kettle to herself with wandless magic, and filled it with water. She could feel the eyes of the other girl on her behind her back, as she got the mugs ready.

"Sorry," Hermione blurted out suddenly, "it's not like it's your fault, I'm upset."

"Who's fault is it?" Harmony asked, searching the cabinets for the tea bags.

"It's Harry Potter's fault." Hermione stated. Hearing the expressionless words, Harmony cringed and dropped a spoon in surprise. Harmony bent quickly, scooped up the spoon and tossed it into the sink, grabbing another one. Hoping that Hermione didn't notice.

"What did Harry do?" Harmony asked in what she hoped was a neutral tone.

"Disappeared," Hermione said in a strained voice, "died maybe..." Harmony put the kettle on the stove, and then turned around to look at Hermione again. Her eyes were looking off into the distance as she attempted to blink back tears.

"For what it's worth," Harmony said tentatively, "I doubt that Harry is dead." Hermione raised her eyes to meet Harmony's bright green ones. "Come on now. The Dark Lord couldn't even kill Harry when he was a baby. How could he possibly kill an older, stronger Harry?"

Hermione half smiled at the words, shaking her head. "Then why didn't he come back?"

"He might," Harmony argued. "The Harry I know wouldn't disappear without saying goodbye. Just give him time." The tea kettle came to a boil and Harmony turned to it gratefully, glad for a chance to turn her face away from Hermione's gaze. Harmony poured the tea carefully, trying not to let any trace of guilt show as she thought of all the other people who must feel the same way. Hagrid, Mrs. Weasley... Ron, just to name a few. Not that she wanted the whole magical world to know that she had changed genders. She liked her privacy, her anonymity. She returned back to the kitchen table, armed with two mugs of tea and a blank expression on her face.

"Harry fancied you." Hermione said, looking over at her.  
Harmony flicked her eyes to her tea, taking a sip of the too hot liquid. "I know." She replied.

"So you picked Draco Malfoy over Harry," Hermione mused, shaking her head confused. "Why him?"

"You know, there are only two answers to that. Either Draco Malfoy isn't as bad as you think he is, or I'm not the good person you think I am." Harmony stated impassively. "So which is it?"

"Would you mind explaining Draco Malfoy's finer points?" Hermione asked.

Harmony fiddled with her tea cup, taking another long sip. If anyone deserved to know the truth, it was Hermione. Even if she could only tell her parts of the truth.

"Do you remember when the Dark Lord started killing all those women? Eating their hearts?" Harmony asked. And seeing Hermione nod in reply, Harmony stuck two fingers into the collar of her cotton shirt, pulling it down low to reveal the thick jagged scar over her heart. "I was almost his second victim." Seeing Hermione's jaw drop in shock, Harmony fixed her shirt, hiding the scar away again. "Narcissia Malfoy was the first. When Draco refused to become a Death Eater the Dark Lord decided to punish him. He saw it happen..." Harmony paused in her talk, gripped by the memory. "Then the Dark Lord went after me, turned his wand to a knife, stabbed me. If Draco wasn't so good at Healing Magic, I'd, well I wouldn't be here right now. He saved me. He saved those kids, and he risked his life to do it."

Hermione didn't talk for a moment. just mulling over the information. She finally shook her head with a wry half smile on her face. "People I thought I knew, they just keep finding ways to surprise me."

"He surprised me too. Took him half a year to convince me that I could trust him." Harmony admitted. It felt good to confide in Hermione again. Like the old times. She wondered if it would be alright to tell Hermione, if some things could go back to the way they were, before the end of fourth year when everything changed.

Their conversation cut off at the sound of heavy footsteps thundering down the stairs. Harmony looked up into Ron's freckled face, watched as his eyes flicked over the two of them sitting together. He saw Hermione's red rimmed eyes and scowled.

"What did you say to her?" Ron demanded.

Harmony's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "We were talking about how wonderful my boyfriend is, and Hermione burst into tears. She just can't believe how lucky I am."

"Really? And you're talking about Draco Malfoy?" Ron shook his head in disbelief. "I knew your father and there's no way that he would have approved. There are better men out there."

"Are you recommending yourself? Sorry Ron, but I'm going to have to decline. I couldn't bear to hurt Hermione's feelings like that."

Ron's ears turned bright red, and he scowled maliciously. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Ron, give it a rest. It's getting old." Hermione snapped at him, cutting him off.

Ron shook his head at Hermione and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like girls, before heading back out of the room.

"You know, Harry started trusting Draco about half a year before he disappeared. The two of them were acting really strangely. Hanging out with one another...Staring at one another." Hermione said. Harmony met her gaze steadily. "I have another question for you." Hermione continued, "are you Harry?"

"No," Harmony replied, "but I used to be."

* * *

**Harmony and Dragons**

There was a crowd of red headed activity in front of the fire place, and Harmony wandered over to see what all the fuss was about. Harmony paused and took off her jacket as she was blasted by the warmth of the fire. She saw that Charlie Weasley was over and visiting, and she was about to say hello to him, when she suddenly remembered that she wasn't supposed to know him.

She paused when she saw Charlie's eyes turn to her, and flick up and down her body. Before she could feel uncomfortable, Charlie smiled and mentioned, "I see that you like dragons."

Harmony looked down at what she was wearing, and noticed that her black tanktop revealed the dragon tattoo on her shoulder, and that the silver pendant that curved in the shape of yet another dragon hung around her neck. "I love dragons." She admitted. It was true. Her respect for the creatures that began in fourth year when she faced the Horntail, had only grown. When she had found herself looking into the blood-red eyes of the Hebridean Black, raw unmitigated power stared back down at her. It was honestly a rush-even more so when the dragon didn't kill her.

"Why do you like them?" Charlie asked, and Harmony noticed that the side conversations halted, as Ginny and the twins looked her way, curious for an answer.

"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus." Harmony replied, quoting the motto of Hogwarts. "Dragons are beautiful, free, and people don't mess with them. That's why."

"That's funny. Most people wouldn't say that dragons are beautiful." Charlie said, smiling.

"Most people haven't seen a dragon close up." Harmony argued, "but you work with dragons in Romania, shouldn't you know better?"

**Charlie: Attempts at Flirting**

He wasn't expecting any of this. He didn't normally notice girls. There were always so many other things to explore, places to travel. He could hardly remember the last girl he had bothered to kiss, and that was back at Hogwarts.

Then out of nowhere she had caught his eye. Even then, he probably wouldn't have noticed if not for the sleek dragon tattoo. There was something more than pretty about the girl. There was a flicker of danger about her, a ferocity hiding below the surface. He recognized the feeling from working with dragons. His hand moved to the shiny patch that wrapped around his forearm, a reminder of a dragon that had been unassuming. A runt that had seemed calmer than the rest before it had nearly killed him.

Never tickle a sleeping dragon. Her answers had only added to his first spark of interest. She knew almost too much about dragons.

"You've seen a dragon close up before?"

"Close enough." Harmony replied with a smile.

"Who would let their kid get near a dragon? It's not like you can find them in a petting zoo."

"Sirius Black."

Sirius Black? He hadn't even known that Sirius had a kid. But that made sense. Sirius was a looker back before his stint in Azkaban. "Oh, that explains it." Charlie said. From the corner of his eye, he caught George stifling a snigger and Fred pretending to vomit.

"Well I got to go finish a letter." Harmony got up from the couch.

"Wait, would you ever want to go to Romania with me?" Charlie asked. Seeing her confused look, he added, "Er, I mean to study dragons more." He hoped that his ears weren't turning red, despite the laughter that Fred had disguised as a coughing fit.

"Yeah, I'd love to," Harmony said, surprising them all.

"You could come during the summer," Charlie said with a wide smile.

"Let's keep in touch." Harmony added before walking off to finish her letter (which Charlie didn't know was to a dragon of a different sort.)

As soon as she left the room, there was a pause before a cushion hit the back of his head. He looked up to see Fred and George's glowering faces. "Bloody unbelievable," George said.

"We've been trying for over a year, and you convince her to go out on a trip!" Fred whacked another cushion across Charlie's face.

"You're too old for her, old man!" George complained. Charlie crossed his muscular arms and smirked at his brothers.

"Well if you two have been trying a year, then it's obvious nothings going to happen," Charlie retorted, annoyed at the jab about the old man.

"There's no point in you all fighting, she has a boyfriend already." Ginny snapped at them, sobering up the mood in the room. Charlie's face fell before he could stop himself.

"Well when that prick messes up, someone will have to be there for her," George said.

"Yeah, and that will be me," Fred said.

"Well one of us anyway." George continued.

"Who is she dating?" Charlie asked, to which the twins started to laugh.

"Draco Malfoy," Ginny said.

"Wait, Draco Malfoy? As in Lucius Malfoy's son? You're kidding right?"

"That's the one. You're just about a year and a half too late."

"What? Why him?"

"Like she said, she has a thing for dragons."

* * *

**Ginny- New Year Adventure**

The barn owl flitted through Ginny's open window discretely. Ginny barely noticed the owl herself, as it flew silently past posters of the Weird Sisters and landed softly on her bed. Ginny untied her letter to read:

_Dear G,_

_I miss you. I convinced Draco to come over my place to celebrate the new year. Do you think you and Harmony could sneak along and make it a party?_

_-BZ_

Ginny passed the slip of paper over to Harmony to share the message. Harmony's eyes flicked over the parchment reading it quickly before passing it back.

"No one's found out yet that you are dating him?" Harmony asked.

"I have six older brothers and would prefer that my boyfriend stays alive. Besides, if they didn't kill him, my mother just might." Ginny justified, waiting to see if Harmony had anything to add. "So do you want to go?"

"Sure, if we could think of a way to sneak off without your mum and six brothers finding out and murdering us."

"Perfect. I'll write back that we'll be there." Ginny replied, grabbing a quill, enjoying the bemused look on Harmony's face. "You'll see." Ginny promised, answering Harmony's unspoken question.

Later that day, after the sun had gone down, Ginny stared at the impatient face of her friend in the mirror that reflected them both. She was carefully applying a second layer of mascara to Harmony's eye lashes, bringing out the vibrant green. She stepped back to enjoy her handiwork. Harmony was a gorgeous girl already, just a touch of eye shadow, and a hint of blush made an impact. Like always, Ginny enjoyed getting Harmony ready more than she cared for her own preparations. She looked at the mirror critically-Harmony was just about perfect, she just needed...

"Is this really going to work? It seems too simple." Harmony asked, looking at the slipper Ginny had placed by the door. If anyone opened the door, the twin shoe was enchanted to start dancing, and the two of them would portkey back.

"If anyone asks, we were out flying over the marshes, but it doesn't matter, because no one is going to ask." Ginny explained, staring at Harmony's lips. Lip gloss. Of course, she knew that something was missing. "People eat up simple explanations. Trust me, I've been off visiting Blaise all summer and no one's noticed."

Ginny's hand hovered over her lip glosses, deciding, before pulling out the red. Red was classy, and bold. If anyone could pull it off, it was Harmony. Ginny handed the lip gloss to Harmony, and watched as she applied the red, completing the look. "Perfect..." Ginny commented.

"Alright are you ready?" At the sight of Harmony's nod, Ginny transfigured herself into a hawk. As she felt her human body give way to wings and talons, Ginny let the excitement flood her, as she left her tiny room behind her and broke free into the clear night sky. Her hawk eyes watched the caracal that jumped down, rooftop by rooftop until it landed on the grass and bounded across the ground below her, keeping up with her pace.

They didn't have to go far. Just a mile and a half away, she tucked the portkey in an abandoned nest-barely any flight time at all. She transfigured back into a girl up on the branches, and waited for Harmony, watching the feline climb its way up to meet her.

"At the count of three then. One. Two. Three." The two girls grabbed the rusty watering can at the same time. Ginny felt the jerk under her navel, which always made her think that she had been caught by a fishing pole and yanked far away, with the world spinning around her.

The two of them stopped in front of an old Italian villa. Ginny stepped around the fountain of the too perfect baby angel, and up the winding staircase to the entrance. The doorway opened when they stepped in front of it, and Ginny saw Blaise smiling down at her, with Draco at his side.

Harmony walked over to Draco and he pulled her into a close hug, the two of them not saying a word.

"Ah, now the fun begins." Blaise said, pulling Ginny near. He wrapped an arm around her waist, grinning. Blaise led Ginny inside, turning over his shoulder to ask "you two coming?"

Blaise led them through a house that could have easily fit the Burrow eight times over. He stopped in front of glass sliding doors that seemed strangely misted over, pulling them open to reveal an indoor pool.

Draco and the girls stared at the pool, which was enchanted to glow different colors at intervals.

"You girls didn't bring bathing suits did you? Well Ginny has a spare here that should fit you Harmony."

"Come on Harmony." Ginny said, taking Harmony's hand and prying her away from Draco.

"What the hell?" Harmony stated when the girls were out of earshot. "Were you expecting this?"

Ginny shrugged, "Not exactly, but I gave us waterproof makeup just in case."

**Harmony in Bikini**

"Are you serious?" Harmony asked, looking at her choices of bathing suits. They were all bikinis. Harmony held one in disgust; it looked like someone had cut out a few little triangles, held them together by pieces of string and then decided to call it swim wear.

"Not that one then." Ginny remarked, tucking it away out of sight. It wasn't that Harmony had never worn a bikini before. Last summer in Brazil, she had a lot of good times in a bikini. But that was different somehow. These were people that she saw every day in school, and what she liked to think of as her real life. "How about this one then?" Ginny asked, holding out a white one that looked a little less scary. Harmony frowned at it, until Ginny remarked, ""it's alright if you don't want to, we can just go back and tell-" Harmony shook her head, took the white bathing suit and stepped into the loo to change.

Harmony looked at herself in the mirror of the loo and decided that she didn't look bad. The white contrasted against the light tan of her skin and drew attention to her slim hourglass figure. "Blimey, Harmony you're tiny." Ginny remarked when she stepped out.

"I can't gain weight." Harmony remarked, "too much malnutrition when I was too young."

"Skinny isn't a bad look, gorgeous." Ginny reassured her.

As the two girls returned, Blaise called out to them by a stand at the side of the room and asked, "does anyone want a drink?" As he carefully poured something bright blue into glasses with miniature umbrellas.

Following Ginny's lead, Harmony took a glass and looked at it skeptically, before taking a sip. The drink was sweet and rich, fruity with a hint of something that Harmony couldn't identify. Harmony drank deeper, finishing it, and placed the empty glass by the side of the pool. She heard a light chuckle as Blaise stepped near and replaced it with a full one.

Harmony dipped her feet into the water, enjoying the warmth and its turquoise glow. She heard the padding of feet before Draco sat down next to her. He held her hand, and Harmony stopped to look at their intertwined fingers, before raising her eyes to his face. Up close, she saw it. The hint of tension that came when he was trying to hide his emotions. She leaned in to give him a quick kiss on his cheek and to whisper, "did I get you in trouble with your father?"

He gripped her hand tighter and said quietly in reply, "it's not going to change anything."

**A Malfoy's Worst Fear**

Draco tried to be himself at the party. Tried to forget everything that happened, but couldn't.  
He hadn't wanted Harmony to spend the winter vacation without him, but couldn't think of a way to sneak off with her. He would have to face his father sooner or later...

Through the whole winter break, his father had seemed withdrawn and distant. Though they had done all of the usual things together, it was all wrong. The Quidditch match in South America, jackalope hunting in Alaska; it all seemed hollow. And that was all before his father had discovered the clothes.

Draco stepped back into their hotel room to find his father standing over his bag. His father had turned around and silently held out a pair of jeans, touching the material lightly as if they could be contagious.

"Why do you have these?" Lucius asked quietly, with a calm that Draco did not trust. Draco didn't answer, keeping his face impassive, revealing nothing. He didn't have to. "It's that girl isn't it?" Draco looked at the faint scar on his father's cheek, a remnant of Harmony's wandless magic. "So you dress like a muggle now. What else has she convinced you to do?" Lucius continued, staring at his son as if he had never seen him before.

"You disobeyed me, you abandoned your family, you left us at the mercy of the Dark Lord. Now your mother is gone. And you did it all for that girl." His father stated, quietly. Draco felt his body tense as he pushed his emotions away, remaining calm.

"Now is there anything else, seeing as you ran off last summer doing Merlin knows what?"

"We tried to save mum." Draco argued, when he couldn't keep his silence any longer.

"You wouldn't have had to, if you had just listened to me." His father retorted.

Lucius Malfoy walked over to the rubbish bin and dropped Draco's designer jeans inside as if they were nothing. "Why are you still with her?" His father asked.

A cool glass touched Draco's arm, startling him out of his thoughts. "Cheer up mate." Blaise stated and handed him a glass. Draco took a sip of it, tasting through the cloying sweetness.

"Blaise, this is really strong." Draco commented, staring at the drink. He then noticed the three empty glasses next to him, where Harmony had sat.

He heard giggling and looked up. Ginny was brushing wet strands away from Harmony's face. Her hands went to the back of Harmony's neck pulling her close.

All of a sudden, Ginny's lips were on Harmony's-kissing her. Full out snogging her. Draco could see from where he was sitting how the Weasley-girl's tongue moved around the inside of his girlfriend's mouth.

"Holy shite..." Blaise murmured, not taking his eyes off the scene.

Draco didn't say a word. He felt rooted to the spot as white hot anger thudded through him. How dare she.

Harmony was _his_.

**To Blaise's Amusement**

It was bloody perfect. He knew that his girl had a bit of a thing for her friend. Some lingering feelings for what used to be Harry Potter. He knew that it would only take some gentle persuasion, perhaps the right circumstances to bring them to the surface.

The two hottest girls in the school, were in his house, in his pool, in bikinis, and making out. He couldn't take his eyes off of them. Their dripping bodies pressed against one another.

The perfect scene was cut short as Draco jumped into the water. Blaise had a moment of apprehension as he realized that Draco was a lot more possessive than he had given him credit for. Possibly enough for him to hex somebody.

Draco had to nearly pry the girls apart before he could pull Harmony away and out of the water. Blaise held his breath as they passed him, but Draco didn't even look his way. The only magic that Draco performed was summoning a towel, which he draped over Harmony carefully. The two of them walked out of the room-Harmony rather unsteadily, and Blaise was sure that he wouldn't see either of them again that night.

Ginny swam to the edge, looking up at him. "I kind of got carried away there." She said. "Are you mad at me?"

"Not as mad as I would have been if you did that when I wasn't there to see it." Blaise replied. He slipped into the pool after her.

* * *

***  
End of Chapter 38

I'm really not planning on another chapter. I have a couple of ideas for a few more scenes, but honestly this one isn't even supposed to exist. My obsessive sister is willing to write more, as she wrote most of these extra scenes, if you reply what you want to hear next.


	39. Chapter 39 M is for Magic

**Harmony Lives**

Chapter 39 SMEX: the M is for Magic

**Disclaimio**: After all the times I said that this was the end, I solemnly swear it is now. And always, Harry Potter is not mine.

* * *

When the seventh years received their schedules, there was only one genuine purr of delight. Blaise couldn't contain his glee when the rumor that was just too good to be true, was in fact true. That glorious word 'SMEX' meant half a year of foreseeable entertainment. By the time he boarded the Hogwarts express with his new school books, he had already read _On Issues Concerning Procreation and Gender For the Magical Education_ three times, front to cover. When it was actually time for their first day of SMEX the discomfort was almost tangible on the other students. Madam Hooch stood in front of the class that held all of the seventh year houses, and coughed into her hand. When she told them 'open to page eight', a laugh was caught in his throat when some Hufflepuffs actually blushed as they flipped to the page. Blushed as if they never heard the word sex before, the poor prudes.

Blaise scrutinized each face carefully, smirking from his corner as the students gave themselves away. Depending on how horrified, pale, or red they looked, Blaise pointed his finger and checked off each virgin. The further they read, the more obvious it became, and it was almost too easy. Blaise finished up on the other houses, almost all the lot sad virgins, and read his house mates. As he moved his finger, he was proud that the slytherins weren't gushing over what they read. His finger stopped at Draco and Harmony, and he frowned. They were to his far left, sitting next to each other with their hands entwined under the desk, but his finger refused to move.

His eyes narrowed in concentration. Even with the knowledge that they spent uninterrupted nights alone together, some inkling suspicion stopped him from marking them as 'experienced'. While they weren't blushing, they also weren't taking it as a joke like Pansy, Millicent, or he was. It wasn't till five minutes passed that he sighed and passed over the two. Even he got bored of watching people read. There had to be another way to get the information to spill, and not from the source, considering that Draco would probably ignore him for days and Harmony would give him the eat-shite-and-die glare if he asked. Perhaps Ginny knew-girls talk after all.

It wasn't till after dinner that Ginny rested against his shoulder, outside in the courtyard under the cover of a willow tree. He slipped a hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him so that he could kiss her forehead. But it wasn't as if he could just spring the question up on her either. He sighed once more, softly against her ear.

"You alright?" Ginny asked, pulling away so that their eyes met.

"Yeah," he said, trailing a thumb through her bangs, "it's just...I hate not knowing certain things."

"You're actually admitting to not knowing something," Ginny lifted an eyebrow, "this must be good then."

"It's a little hard to figure out," Blaise tapped his chin, "maybe this is something you would know and not me."

"Hmmm?" Ginny asked.

"So how close do you think Draco and Harmony are?"

"Merlin, is that all you think about?" Ginny smacked his shoulder lightly, "of all the things to waste your time, it's this?"

"No," Blaise sniffed, "I think about important stuff all the time. So...has Harmony said anything?"

"Nope, and it's not my business, or yours," she added firmly.

"Damn," Blaise smirked, this was going to take a hell of a lot longer to figure out than he first thought. "Well then, wanna help me study for SMEX?"

* * *

Her legs dangled from the bed, crisscrossing, as her finger trailed along her text. She was only half interested in what she read, and intermittently her progress would stop, thanks to the occupant who shared the bed, well more accurately his bed. Harmony couldn't help but drift her eyes from the page and watch Draco's passive face as he read from his own text. It didn't help either how horrid learning about the complications of childbearing could be, talk about too much information. The corners of Draco's lips lifted, making it all the harder to return to her page. She knew she shouldn't have been staring.

"Bored already, it's only been five minutes?" he asked her. Really, had it been that long. Harmony sighed as she shifted closer to him. He looked at where she had glazed over for the last three minutes and gave her an encouraging smile. She didn't know how he could be interested in all of these medical books.

"I'm lush," she said and forced her eyes once more on a random sentence. She only had to finish the chapter on pregnancy complications. Come on Harmony focus... she skipped around... _baby born backwards, baby born with two heads, babies magically apparating during pregnancy..._ OK? _Babies causing mother's magical levels to fluctuate..._ what was this shite? Her stomach lurched at the next sentence. _Difficulties having babies due to gender reversal may result in multiple miscarriages or infertility. _Her eyes widened as she read on_. The only documented case of pregnancy born of a woman who had previously been a man occurred in the case of Heidi Hopinbower, (previously Heidar Hopinbower). After two decades, Heidi conceived a child. However, further studies could not be conducted due to the child's premature death at the age of three. Whether this death was related to maternal influences remains unknown; though highly likely._ She blinked at the page in horror, not sure if she had read the last paragraph correctly, or if her mind had constructed it. When she read it a third time, her eyes pricked in anger. How? After all of this?

She felt a hand on her forearm and looked down. She hadn't even noticed that the grip on her book bleached the small bones on her knuckles white. The pages slipped from her grasp. It was unfair. So fucking messed up. She thought...No, she was an idiot. To think, that it was possible. If she could, she would have sneered. It was like something was taken from her. As her parents and Sirius had been murdered, now her future too. She knew that Draco was shaking her, but she felt a lingering pain with her panic. Harmony slumped on the covers, feeling a tightness catch at her chest, sharp and cutting, that pinned her heart. The magic quivered within her, itching to lash out.

"Harmony! Shite, Harmony!" There was numbness, as if her blood had stopped altogether. "Look at me!" Her breath came in a gasp, and then she was painfully aware. She almost laughed. It wasn't her blood that had stopped, but her heart.

* * *

There wasn't a pulse. One second Harmony was fine, reading on his bed, and the next...his mind couldn't believe what just happened. Fear spiked inside of him when he noticed that her chest wasn't _moving_. People don't just die from reading a book! For the briefest second, he thought someone had attacked her, possibly squeezed her heart with an invisible fist. He couldn't lose her, not again. His hand shook as he grasped his wand.

_"Animum Pulsare,_" he choked out. Still her chest didn't move. "Fu-" he needed control, she would die if he couldn't control his emotions. The magic surged from his wand erratically. He thought of all of the medical texts he had read over the summer. They had warned him about this, but he hadn't- no -couldn't believe them. "_Animum Pulsare_." He blushed in shame as he thought that he had failed her. Dread that had lingered and kept at bay in his mind, struck now. Her heart would never be the same. This wouldn't be the last attack. "_Animum pulsare_". His own heart skipped a beat as he felt his magic pump at her heart, thumping at a pace much slower than his own. Focus, he thought, just hold it together. The relief when her eyes opened, didn't hold for long. Her pulse fluttered, but for how long?

Draco kissed her forehead before lifting her from the bed and carrying her out the door. Neither of them said a word as he walked them to the medical wing.

"Oh, my!" Madam Pomfrey said when Draco nearly kicked the door off its hinges. Draco was struck with déjà vu at the memory of him and Harmony two years prior. He had carried her just the same, the difference now was that the life in his hands meant more to him than his own; if she died it would ruin him.

"She's had a heart attack," Draco said, his voice detached, not his own. He placed her on the nearest bed, and Madam Pomfrey immediately went through a rapid assessment.

"I'm OK," Harmony mumbled. Draco noticed that she wouldn't meet his eyes. He sat in a chair by her bedside and held her hand. It was warm, with blood flowing through. The rings on each of their fingers were murky and Draco rubbed the soft flesh of her palm.

"Your heart has stabilized," Madam Pomfrey said, "was this the first attack?" Harmony nodded her head. "What were you doing before the attack?"

"I was reading..." Harmony said, and Madam Pomfrey looked at her with what he thought was a mixture of pity, pain and maternal love. Draco felt the dread swell in his stomach. He knew even before Madam Pomfrey began, what she would say. It was an effort to not get up and walk out of the hospital wing. But he had to control himself if he wanted to be a mediwizard.

"Harmony, I'm sorry to tell you that the injury you sustained two years ago, the one to your heart, has irrevocable damage. It would appear that though you are in perfect health, with everything in working order, if you overstrain your heart, in essence have a panic attack, your heart will fail." Harmony looked at her blankly, but Draco knew that to Harmony, this was something of a death sentence. She would never be an auror now, she would probably never be allowed to be alone- because he couldn't take that chance. Could she even play Quidditch anymore? He searched her face for the pain he knew was there, that she was trying to control, and he found it in her eyes. It was then he wished that he could give her his own heart, if just so that he could not see the total dejection in her. It was a stupid thought. "As long as you don't overexert yourself or your magic, then you will live long. But you must know that with each new attack, your heart will become weaker." Madam Pomfrey looked down at the charts and papers she held and frowned at them.

"Is there anything I can do to fix my heart?" Harmony asked, but it lacked any hope, as if she knew as well.

"It's already in a precarious state, it would do more harm than good." Harmony put a tentative hand over her chest, almost casually. "It would be best if you could rest here for the night." Madam Pomfrey bent over and fluffed the pillow Harmony rested on. "I'll check up on you hourly."

"Thanks," Harmony mumbled, and Madam Pomfrey nodded with tight lips. Though they were alone, she still hadn't said a word to him, and Draco squeezed her hand.

"What happened?" he asked. It wasn't just the heart attack that took a toll on her physically. There was something on her mind that twisted and knotted. Her usual tan, olive tone had paled considerably. "What did you read?" He knew that if she didn't tell him soon, he would read whatever she had been reading over again. "Harmony, please tell me."

At last she looked his way, but there was loathing in her eyes. Draco couldn't stop the flinch, and when he looked again, it wasn't directed at him. It was worse. He was careful when he leaned close to her just barely touching her forehead with his, even though he wanted to press her flush against his chest. "Don't," he whispered close to her ear, lower and less gentle. This was Harmony, even if she just had a frick'n heart attack. "Don't you dare blame yourself." She stiffened against him, and Draco had to stop himself from lifting up her chin and kissing her senseless. If only it was that simple to erase her pain.

"Really? Then I guess it's not my fault that my body is screwed up." He pulled away from her. For a second, Draco wondered if she was blaming him for not fixing her heart up perfectly. Something else must be wrong with her.

"Harmony, you're perfect the way you are," Draco said, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"I can't have kids," she said. Instead of looking away, as he thought she would, her eyes met his, almost to challenge what he just said.

"What are you talking about? If you are referring to that book-"

"Draco, _we_ can't have kids," she said, her eyes scrutinized his. Draco narrowed his eyes back. Did she think that he only wanted to be with her to get an heir? No... She was scared, on the verge of panic once more. He could see the fear of being alone. He was too far gone to ever stop himself from loving her.

"Tell me."

"It said I couldn't. Those who have gone through a gender reversal can't conceive, and if they do, the baby will die prematurely. I... I can't..." Her voice broke off. He blinked back at her in confusion.

"Harmony, you're heart is weak, but everything else is fine."

"No, the book-"

"It doesn't matter if you're born a boy. If two male wizards can somehow procreate, which shouldn't even be biologically possible, you won't have too much of a problem."

"What are you talking about!" Harmony looked at him as if he had sprouted two heads.

"It's not in the chapter, but two men-"

"No, not that! You said it doesn't matter if I were born a boy."

"Yeah...?"

"I was born a girl. Dumbledore gave me something to make me look like a boy. I thought you knew that."

"Oh," Draco said with a shrug, "I guess it never mattered to me."

"What the- How did you find out that I was a girl?"

"I brought you in here when you collapsed in the library, you know, after the triwizard tournament, and then I kind of hung around." Not that he would ever admit to snooping.

"Holy shite, that was you! Really," she was about to say something more, but laughed. "Oh never mind!" Harmony shook her head, but a small smile began to form on her lips. "And what do you mean two men...can."

"I've already read up on pregnancy complications in my own medical books, and honestly what is in that SMEX book is mostly nonsense to scare us. Some senile whack job off his trolley probably thought it would be funny."

"You're kidding."

"Part of it is fact, the rest is rubbish. Anyway, you were born a girl, which means that it probably doesn't even apply to you." Draco rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "Harmony, If we want kids, then it will work". She looked away from him, and Draco knew he wasn't getting something important. "Trust me." When she turned to face him, the blank despondency in her face was a jab to his gut.

"I never thought I'd make it past Hogwarts...after all these years of people expecting me to die. What if something happens, Draco?" Her breathing became shallow, and Draco thought of calling for Madam Pomfrey. "What if my heart gives out? I can't let our child to grow up never knowing her mum...It's awful."

"That won't happen. You're not the boy who lived, or the chosen one, or any of that crap. Shite, you have your own life, you've done so much already, so don't even think that you're going to die. You deserve a chance to be happy, just like everyone else...more than anybody."

"You would want to try to have kids?" Harmony asked, almost tentatively, like she was waking up.

"We can have as many as you want." He was tempted to waggle his eyebrows, in what he thought was a very alluring way, but he wanted her to know he was sincere.

"More than one?" Harmony's lips lifted in the slightest. They hadn't talked about kids before this, but Draco had an idea, one that his father would never be able to undermine. He smiled back. "As many as the Weasleys?" She asked with many of her front teeth showing. He couldn't quite stop the grimace as an irrational thought of fifteen redheaded toddlers invaded his mind. But he attempted to smile nonetheless.

"Even more if you want," he tried to keep his face from betraying him. She shook with laughter and put a hand on his arm. It looked like the tension in her finally relented. He promised himself he would make it work, promised her silently as she rested that they would be happy, no matter how many crazy kids they would have. He rested his head against her and quietly calculated his plan.

The End

* * *

Not really...read Malfoy Reaper (aka Harmony Lives 2), for everything that comes after... marriage, kids and twilight references. My sister is pretty much writing Malfoy Reaper, even though we both agreed that we were finished back in January. I wrote this chapter because I knew that I had forgotten something!


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